Volatile Organic Contaminant Emissions from Wastewater Treatment Plants During Secondary Treatment

Volatile organic contaminant (VOC) emissions from wastewater treatment plants may occur through a variety of mechanisms which mainly include volatilization, evaporation, biodegradation, and photodecomposition. A mathematical model incorporating the significant factors affecting VOC emissions from a secondary treatment facilities has been developed and verified with the operational data from wastewater treatment plant in south Florida. The model includes mass transfer considerations for volatilization from clarifier surfaces and weirs, in addition to volatilization from aeration basins. A simple model such as this one can be a useful tool to estimate VOC emissions from municipal wastewater treatment plants and to evaluate the present and future state of compliance with applicable air quality standards.