Trace Organic Compounds: What Goes In Must Come Out

By Daniel M. Austria

Chemically enhanced high rate settling (CEHRS) shows promise in removing harmful compounds such as pharmaceuticals and consumer products from wastewater.

A recent research project involved the pilot testing of a chemically enhanced high rate settling (CEHRS) process for removal of selected trace organic compounds (TOrCs). This article is a summary of those piloting efforts.

Increasing amounts of TOrCs at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) around the world is a phenomenon that has been occurring for some time now. Some examples of these compounds are consumer products (surfactants, caffeine), pharmaceuticals (drugs, hormones), pesticides (DEET), and volatile organics (flame retardants, household cleaning products). Many of these compounds are the result of every day human activities; this is especially true in developed consumer-based societies where environmentally conscious living has become secondary to keeping up with social status standards. These compounds can be harmful not only to humans but to the entire ecosystem. It is still not completely known how the compounds’ presence will affect the environment long term, as current data is limited, but they are generally labeled a health risk by many experts. Research is continually being done to gauge the ability of water treatment technologies to remove such compounds from municipal water treatment plants (WTPs) and WWTPs.