When Is Remediation Applied?

To keep up with the growing problem of wastewater disposal, there are more and more methods that have been developed to treat it. Nowadays, wastewater is not wasted away and dumped, not if it can be helped anyway. For as long as it can be treated, wastewater is continuously recycled. One of the more usual ways of wastewater treatment is through remediation. Remediation is the process that removes pollution or contaminants from groundwater through the use of microorganisms, or rather, the introduction of microorganisms into the water. There are some common wastewater problems that have better effects with remediation than any other wastewater treatment method. Below, we show you some of them.

1. Iron and Steel Industries wastewater- The increasing need for more iron and steel have given way to the production of more iron, steel and other metals. Part of the production of iron from iron ores requires powerful reduction reactions in blast furnaces. The cooling waters that are used to cool the iron are then filled with chemicals like cyanide and ammonia,in the process. When coal is produced, water used to cool it down can also release toxic by-products into the wastewater. When this water goes down and mixes into the general water stream untreated, it may contaminate the water with many complex organic compounds known as polycyclic aromatic carbons or PAHS. PAHs can cause all sorts of complications, so remediation is definitely required for the waste from these industries.

2. Mines and quarries- Mines and quarries used to be located miles away from residential areas, but these days, more and more people are living in mining towns. The wastewater that is gathered from mining can come from the washing and grading processes that happen in the mines, or from rainwater dropping down on exposed rock areas. Because of the exposure, the wastewater from these areas will contain traces of surfactants and haematite. Other dangerous chemicals that have been reported include certain oils and hydraulic oils. Again, remediation is the most effective method applied so that these contaminants are removed and the water in the area is made potable again.

3. Food industry waste- in the effort to keep the food that we eat toxic free, agricultural and food operations, in turn, get rid of a lot of wastewater. The wastewater from this industry have its own unique set of characteristics. This kind of wastewater may be biodegradable and non toxic but high amounts of biochemical oxygen demand and suspended solids are still present. Particulate matter and surfactants are other contaminants that have also been reported. A particular kind of remediation can successfully remove the contaminants from food industry wastewater.

Everywhere we are, we always run the risk of being exposed or taking in wastewater. In a way, we have to be thankful to wastewater techniques such as remediation have been refined and continuously protect us from wastewater contamination!