Abstract
The investigation of dilution and decay of petrochemical effluent discharged into big river have been performed. The experimental work on effluent behavior was carried out in Vistula river (Płock area, Poland). The purpose of studies was selection of optimal location of effluent outfall under criterion of efficient mixing and evaluation of contributions of dispersion and self-purification processes to decrease the effluent concentration in river water at early stage of transport. The tracer method was applied in order to obtain the actual and expected states of effluent dilution. The radioactive tracer was been used as a reference substance to obtain the decay rates of the following components of petrochemical effluent: chemical oxygen demand (COD), phenol and oil product. 82Br in a form of KBr was used as radioactive tracer. Rhodamine and uranine were used as fluorescent dyes. The river reach of the length of 10725 m was subject of investigations. The series of nine tracer experiments was performed. The measurements of distribution of concentration of tracers and selected pollutants along the river width was performed at five measurement profiles marked out on the river reach under test. Two speed boats equipped with devices for detection of radioactive and fluorescent tracers were employed to carry out the tracer experiments and sampling the river water. The results obtained allow to select an optimal location of effluent outfall. The new location selected provides remarkable improvement of dillution pattern. Expected growth of dilution rate is 1.5 times which corresponds to reduction of maximal effluent concentration of 3.85 times at distance of 10725 m downstream of the outfall. Measured values of the decay rate of certain components of effluent discharged constitute he basis for procedure of prediction of impact of petrochemical effluent on receiving river water. The data concerning the dilution and decay rate of petrochemical effluent indicate the multiplex preponderance of the dispersion process over the self-purification in early stage of pollution transport in river.
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Szpilowski, S., Owczarczyk, A., Wierzchnicki, R. et al. Application of tracer method for investigation of dilution and decay of petrochemical effluent discharged into big river. Water Air Soil Pollut 78, 199–213 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00483033
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00483033