Ozone technology treats polluted water

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August 2006 Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring

The use of ozone in water treatment systems is not a new concept - it has been used for close on 100 years to disinfect municipal drinking water and more recently, also as a disinfectant in wastewater treatment facilities. However, since the use of ozone is still not regarded as the norm in South Africa, the development of new processes, equipment, techniques and monitoring devices aid in establishing wider acceptance of ozone as a disinfectant of choice, as well as compliance with effluent guidelines for industrial and municipal plants. Ozone's oxidation power means that it can react rapidly with a large number of organic and inorganic contaminants, and that it can deactivate bacteria, viruses and many parasites.

Gauteng engineering firm, Thuthuka Group, in conjunction with Ozonic (the South African representative of the ozone technology group Trailligaz-Wedeco), is making mobile ozonation plants available to South African companies that may require or consider oxidation of their final effluent. Should this final effluent be destined for the relevant local authorities' wastewater treatment facilities, the ozonation process may treat the wastewater to COD levels acceptable to the wastewater plants, thus guarding against overloading the treatment plants.

Ozone is one of the strongest oxidising agents known and can be substituted for conventional oxidants such as chlorine and chlorine dioxide. A disadvantage of using conventional oxidants is the potential of forming harmful products of oxidation. Ozone is a powerful disinfectant, yet it does not form halogenated organic compounds as oxidation by-products, it leaves no residual, and it can be used to treat both organic and inorganic hazardous contaminants. The net results of ozonation may vary from a mere reduction of the effluent's COD, to a complete oxidation and disinfection of the effluent.

An advantage of ozone is that it is generated on site from air or oxygen and used immediately, avoiding storage and handling problems associated with conventional antioxidants. The higher capital and operating cost of a typical ozone system is seen as the main disadvantage of using ozone rather than other oxidant systems.

Thuthuka Group and Ozonic are currently designing a mobile ozonation plant for a client in the food and beverage industry. The plant will be containerised in a standard six metre container for ease of transport. All process connections required to integrate the ozonation step into the existing effluent treatment process form part of the containerised plant for ease of installation on site.

* Freeman, M. 1997. Standard handbook of hazardous waste treatment and disposal. 2nd ed McGraw-Hill.

For more information contact Bill Pullen, Thuthuka Project Managers, +27 (0) 11 466 9788.

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