Economic Evaluation of Two Biological Processes for Treatment of Ball Powder Production Wastewater
Abstract
Currently, Badger Army Ammunition Plant (AAP) has no facility other than lagoons for treating wastewater generated during the production of BALL POWDER propellant. Because of the lack of an environmentally acceptable treatment facility, the U.S. Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency (USATHAMA) evaluated technologies that would effectively treat ball powder production wastewater and, subsequently, allow its discharge (within the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements) to the Wisconsin River. Pilot test results indicated that in the absence of nitroglycerin (NG) both the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and extended aeration systems were capable of meeting NPDES requirements continuously. When NG was present in the ball powder wastewater, pilot test results showed that NG was toxic to the biomass. The toxic effect of the NG caused a decrease in the biomass efficiency to perform carbonaceous aerobic oxidation, nitrification and denitrification. The toxicity also caused further problems by adversely affecting the bacteria's ability to form flocs, which resulted in a significant quantity of the biomass overflowing with the effluent, and thereby decreasing the concentration of biomass in the reactor. The end result of NG's toxicity was to produce an unstable biological system that could not meet NPDES requirements. Either biological system is capable of treating ball powder wastewater at Badger AAP; however, the wastewater must first be pretreated for NG removal.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA206261
Entities
People
- Armand A. Balasco
- R. C. Bowen
- R. F. Machacek
Organizations
- Arthur D. Little