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Treatment of Arctic wastewater by chemical coagulation, UV and peracetic acid disinfection

  • Water, sanitation, pollution and health in the Arctic
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Abstract

Conventional wastewater treatment is challenging in the Arctic region due to the cold climate and scattered population. Thus, no wastewater treatment plant exists in Greenland, and raw wastewater is discharged directly to nearby waterbodies without treatment. We investigated the efficiency of physicochemical wastewater treatment, in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. Raw wastewater from Kangerlussuaq was treated by chemical coagulation and UV disinfection. By applying 7.5 mg Al/L polyaluminium chloride (PAX XL100), 73% of turbidity and 28% phosphate was removed from raw wastewater. E. coli and Enterococcus were removed by 4 and 2.5 log, respectively, when UV irradiation of 0.70 kWh/m3 was applied to coagulated wastewater. Furthermore, coagulated raw wastewater in Denmark, which has a chemical quality similar to Greenlandic wastewater, was disinfected by peracetic acid or UV irradiation. Removal of heterotrophic bacteria by applying 6 and 12 mg/L peracetic acid was 2.8 and 3.1 log, respectively. Similarly, removal of heterotrophic bacteria by applying 0.21 and 2.10 kWh/m3 for UV irradiation was 2.1 and greater than 4 log, respectively. Physicochemical treatment of raw wastewater followed by UV irradiation and/or peracetic acid disinfection showed the potential for treatment of arctic wastewater.

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Acknowledgements

Authors gratefully acknowledge the support of Qeqqata Municipality and the Government of Greenland who financed the field study in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet, Building 115, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

    Ravi Kumar Chhetri, Ewa Klupsch & Henrik Rasmus Andersen

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet, Brovej, Building 118, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

    Ewa Klupsch & Pernille Erland Jensen

Authors
  1. Ravi Kumar Chhetri
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  2. Ewa Klupsch
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  3. Henrik Rasmus Andersen
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  4. Pernille Erland Jensen
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Correspondence to Pernille Erland Jensen.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Chhetri, R.K., Klupsch, E., Andersen, H.R. et al. Treatment of Arctic wastewater by chemical coagulation, UV and peracetic acid disinfection. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 32851–32859 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8585-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8585-5

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