Lecture 08

Environmental Engineering

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Environment is the available nature around us. It includes the life
support system such as water, air and land/Soil.
Environmental engineering deals with the technology to save
nature from human and natural abuse and pollution.
The study involves balanced compromise between environment
and safety.
It deals with,
• Technique of water collection, purification and supply
• Waste water collection, treatment and disposal
• Control of all types of pollution

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Water treatment Objectives
1. Removal of floating suspended matter.
2. Improvement in the aesthetic quality of water by removing
unpleasant taste and odour.
3. Removal of settleable suspended matter and non-settleable
colloidal impurities.
4. Removal of dissolved mineral matter, colour and bacteria.
5. Softening of water for use in domestic washing laundries and
boilers.
6. Making the water non-corrosive, suitable for industrial
processing, and recreational uses.

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Water Quality Parameters
Can be divided into three types
1. Physical Parameters
2. Chemical Parameters
3. Biological Parameters

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Physical Parameters
a. Suspended solids
b. Turbidity
c. Odour and taste
d. Colour
e. Temperature

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Suspended solids
• Suspended solid in water may come from inorganic
particles like silt, clay etc , organic particles like fibre,
algae and may be induced by immiscible liquids like oil
and grease etc.
• Suspended solids if organic in nature then may results in
growth of disease causing microorganism.
• Suspended solids leads to incrustation of pipes then it
reduce the discharge carrying capacity.
• Acceptable limit- 500mg/l
• Cause for rejection limit- 2000mg/l

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Turbidity
• It is a extent to which light is either scattered or
absorbed due to the presence of suspended solid
in water.
• Impact of turbidity same as suspended solids.
• It is measured by Turbidity rod, Nephelometer.
• Acceptable limit- 1 NTU (Nephelo Turbidity Unit)
• Cause for rejection- 10 NTU

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Odour and taste
• Taste and odour in water may come from
inorganic mineral source like Na, Ca, Mg etc or
due to the presence of organic matter or may be
induced by the presence of dissolved gases like
CO2 , H2S etc.
• It is measured by osmoscope.
• Acceptable limit- 1 TON (Threshold odour
number)
• Cause for rejection- 3 TON

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Colour
• Presence of colour causing compound like Fe, Mn
in water increases the demand of chlorine and
reduce its effectiveness as disinfectant.
• Colour water can not be used for washing and
dying purpose.
• It is measured by Tintometer.
• Acceptable limit- 5 TCU ( True colour unit)
• Cause for rejection- 25 TCU

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Temperature
• Temperature in water affects the chemical and
biological reaction.
• An average increase of 10oC in the temperature
of water almost double the biological activity.
• Temperature of water should be in the range of
10-20oC in supplies.

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Chemical water parameter
• Total Dissolved solids
• Alkalinity
• pH
• Hardness
• Nitrogen content
• Chloride content
• Fluoride content
• Different gases
• Metals

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Total Dissolved solids
• It is the amount of solids that are present in
dissolved state in water..
• It can not be removed by conventional treatment.
• It can only removed by different method like
reverse osmosis, electrodialysis.
• It causes stiffness in joints, kidney stones etc.
• Acceptable limit- 500 mg/l
• Cause for rejection- 2000 mg/l

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Alkalinity
• Concentration of all the ions present in water which are capable of
neutralizing the acid and hydronium ion is referred as alkalinity. I
• It may also be defined as ability of water to neutralise the acid.
• Major constituents responsible for alkalinity are carbonates and
bicarbonates.
• Alkalinity in water in high concentration imparts bitter taste in
water.
• It is also responsible for incrustation in pipes.
• Acceptable limit- 200mg/l,
• Cause for rejection- 600mg/l

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pH
• It is the scale in the range of 0-14 which is used
to indicate the acidity and basicity of water
sample.
• It is measured by pH meter that is also referred
as potentiometer.
• Acceptable limit- 7-8.5
• Cause for rejection- < 6.5 and > 9.2

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 Hardness
• It is defined as concentration of the ion which destroy the surfactant property
of the soap or it may also be defined as concentration of multivalent cation
present in the water.
• Major constituent are Ca+2, Mg.+2
• Hardness of the water is referred as carbonate hardness and non-carbonate
hardness.
• Hardness due to carbonates and bicarbonates of multivalent cation is
referred as carbonate hardness. ( Temporary hardness that can remove by
simple boiling.)
• Hardness due to chloride, sulphate and nitrate of multivalent cation is
referred as non- carbonate hardness. ( Permanent hardness that can be
removed by softening)
• Acceptable limit- 200mg/l, Cause for rejection- 600mg/l

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Nitrogen content
• Presence of nitrogen indicates its pollution due to organic matter.
• Nitrogen in water may be found in the form of free ammonia, Organic
ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate.
• Free ammonia indicate the recent pollution of water due to organic
matter.
• Organic ammonia in water indicates the presence of nitrogen before
the decomposition of organic matter has started.
• Presence of nitrite in water is highly dangerous as it indicates the
partially decomposition of the organic matter.
• Presence of Nitrate in water is not harmful as it indicate the complete
decomposition of organic matter. If it is in excess then it affects the
infants and results the disease as Methemoglobinemia or blue baby
diseases.

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Chloride content
• Presence of chlorine in water indicates its
pollution due to industrial waste or due to
sewage.
• Acceptable limit- 200 mg/l
• Cause for rejection- 1000 mg/l

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Fluoride content
• Up to 1 mg/l fluoride is required to prevent dental cavity
and for the growth of permanent teeth.
• If concentration is greater than 1.5 mg/l, causes
decolourisation of teeth and results in the disease
referred as Fluorosis.
• Fluoride concentration more than 5 mg/l causes
deformation of the bones and the result in the disease
Bone- fluorosis.
• Acceptable limit- 1 mg/l, Cause for rejection- 1.5 mg/l

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Different gases
• Presence of CH4, H2S, CO2, NH3 indicates the
presence of organic matter.
• CH4 is known for its explosive property.
• H2S give pungent smell in water.
• C02 add bad taste and corrosions in water.
• O2 in water indicates the absence of organic
matter.

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Metals
• Na- If it is in excess the it ass bad taste and it is
harmful for heart and kidney patients.
• Limit - 50-250mg/l
• Fe and Mn- It causes colour problem in water.
• Limit for Fe- 0.1-1 mg/l, Limit for Mn- 0.05-0.5mg/l
• Cu- If it is in excess then it affect the lungs and
respiratory organ.
• Limit- 0.05-1.5 mg/l

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TABLE: FUNTIONS OF WATER TREATMENT UNITS

Unit treatement Function (removal)

Aeration, chemicals use -> Colour, odour, taste

Screening -> Floating matter

Chemical methods -> Iron, Manganese etc.

Softening -> Hardness

Sedimentation -> Suspended matter

Coagulation -> Suspended matter, a part of colloidal matter and bacteria

Filtration -> Remaining colloidal dissolved matter, bacteria

Disinfection -> Pathogenic bacteria, organic matter and reducing substances

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Biological Parameters

a. Bacteriological aspects
b. Virologic aspects
c. Parasitological aspects
d. Algae