Chemicals to Reduce the Odour of STP Grey Water

Published on by in Academic

Which chemicals can I use to reduce the bad odour from sewage treatment plant (STP) treated water? 

The STP has a pond with 80 m3 capacity for storing treated water. Algae grow in it every 2 days and turn the water and the bottom of the pond green. 

How can I solve the algae and odour problem?

Taxonomy

26 Answers

  1. Can we use subject technology in treating " Boiler/Cooling" water in Industries/Powerhouses.

    1 Comment

    1. If you are talking about our nano bubble technology yes, absolutely... Infact it could also effect the energy requirement of cooling towers as bubbles are present in the water and thus the increased surface area with the bubbles will result in better heating efficiency....

  3. If you have the right budget... I could suggest a one time cost ( no chemicals needed at all) nanobubble ozonisation system....Exteemely low footprint , very low maintainence almost negligible.., odour would go in maybe 5/10 mins and algae killed almost immediately.. Bod and COD reduced too....allozone/oxygen and nanobubble generator in one single machine....

    2 Comments

    2. I agree with Harish. My company develops and manufactures this technology. It has been used successfully across Asia and Australia to solve this specific issue. Please email me at andrew@waterandoilsolutions.com.au and I'll be happy to provide literature, case studies and referrals.

      1 Comment reply

  4. Chemicals are not always the preferred solution. Besides the HSE risks for the staff handling these chemicals (loading, transportation, spread etc), you should be able to ensure proper mixing in the pond. Also, more than one chemical substances should be used to kill algae and also remove nutrients that possibly are present in the water (mainly phosphorus). For nitrogen, the only solution would be biological treatment. Also consider that the application frequency should be high to prevent the re-growth of the algae. Hence, use of chemicals is not always an optimum, long-term solution.

    What I usually suggest in this cases, is the use of ultrasound producing floating devices to kill the algae and prevent the development of new ones, combined with floating treatment wetlands that will uptake the nutrients present in the water. The combination of these two systems provides an optimum result to maintain good water quality, prevent algae growth, while it is an environmentally friendly solution with minimum costs.

  5. We have provided this solution for 20years. It's about understanding water, and not just the mechanics surrounding water. Once you understand the molecular structure ( not just chemical/ mineral/biological content) you can then define the solution. Upon modifying the structure, the viscosity is modified, degassing enhanced to a micro level, sedimentation enhanced, turbidity improved. This combination we have proven to significantly reduce all odours, usually totally eliminate. This has been applied in STPs and open stationary storage lakes including, amongst many countries, within the most hostile environment to water, the deserts of the GCC,  U.A.E., Oman, Bahrain 

  6.  The majority of people that are providing answers are either trying to sell you something or are providing partial answers to a very complicated problem. The odors could be related to anaerobic activity, but it could be the odor issues are also related to the type of algae that you is growing in the pond. The first thing to consider is controlling the algae growth in the pond. Facultative ponds require algae, so you don't want to eliminate all the algae. But you do want to control it.  You can do that using algicide products such is liquid or a granular copper sulfate.  You could also partially cover the pond to control the excess of algae growth as was recommended in another post. If the problem is related to aerobic activity, once again in facultative Ponds you do not want to eliminate the  anaerobic activity. You just want to control it. You can use chemicals such as chlorine or Chlorine dioxide or calcium nitrate.  Chlorine dioxide combined with algae will often produce an odor very similar to cat piss, so be sure you to proceed with caution. You can use bacteria products as well. I Recommend evaluating all the options and look at the cost. 

  10. Pramod Kumar,

    If you wish to stop Algae, and Bacterial growth using a chemical free, energy efficient proven system for this  specific application you should contact https://hydropath.com  for the  dealer nearest you. We  have  proven successful case studies for exactly the situation you describe. Check out  the HydroFlow Electronic Water Conditioners for a very environmentally friendly solution to your issue.

  11. To reduce odour and alges, you can use a special Lavastone-Powder, 100% natural and very effectiv. Please send me a message to get more Informations. 

  13. I have read all the responses to your question and surely one common thread seems to be tackling the odor. While Odor causing bacteria are best removed by microbial products you then have to disinfect the water. 

    There are several issues with the use of Hypochlorite and Ozone and they are short residual time in the wastewater. The residual presence is important to treat and disinfect the wastewater. If you want to treat the algae then it is best done by chlorine dioxide. We have done it at several places in India. We add the chlorine dioxide to the pond at night and leave it over night. When you come in the next day the algae settles to the bottom of the pond. This can than be removed using a manual scraper. 

    The very fact that you have algal growth every 2 days shows that there are nutrients in your wastewater. When the nutrients are present along with sunlight and carbon dioxide in the air the algae will grow back. When you remove the algae from the pond all of it never gets removed. 

    So you have 2 issues. You want to deal with odor than you need to treat the wastewater with microbial products. We deal in these as well as in chlorine dioxide as a disinfectant.

    Now the advantages of chlorine dioxide over chlorine and ozone are critical for you to understand why chlorine dioxide is the best choice. When you add chlorine or Ozone to the wastewater there is a reaction that takes place with the organics in the wastewater. Chlorine produces chloroform and Ozone produces Bromates. Both are carcinogens, that is chloroform and bromate. Besides this chlorine dioxide will assist in the reduction of COD loads in your wastewater. 

  14. If the water is grey and starts to smell quite quickly it suggest the STP isn't working as well as it should. Maybe the focus should be on that initially. If you want to prevent septicicy add some aeration.

  15. We offer a patented, organic certified, plant extract that will eliminate your condition. Treatment will reduce Nutrients, Ammonia, Phosphates and systematically increase DO in the TSE. This prevents algae growth and eliminate odour. Makro Organics is supplied from South Africa and marketed in UK, EU, UAE, Australia, Pakistan and South East Asia. dave@makroorganics.com

     

     

  16. To eliminate this issue you don't need to use any chemical as it might solve your problem but might create another issue too....... To remove bad odour and algae issue , you just need to give ozone aeration in the pond . Ozone is powerful disinfection agent compare to chlorine and doesn't have any side effect . ozone will remove bad odour and restrict any biological growth like algae etc..... in the stored water. it will be very cost effective way to deal with such type of issue.

     

  19. Yes I have a solution for you that's what we do for living, we have a chemestry and it's environment friendly, no harm done to the environment 100% guaranty if you need information about it please contact me so we can discuss it thank you and best of luck

    Regard 

    Noel

  20. Hi Pramod,

    For the odour removal from the STP treated water, you can introduce appropriate amount Chlorine, Sodium Hypochlorite, or other disinfectants but might need a little agitation or stirring. For the algae growth, prevent sunlight from entering the pond - covering with a collapsible cover.  You can also think of using above-the-ground storage tank with cover to store the treated water with the help of a pump instead of the pond.

    Regards

    Justin.

  21. Intrinsyx has plants that can be put into floating islands which can clean water and reduce odour and algae as a result.

  22. Pramod,

    You could cover the pond with a floating reservoir cover.  Many companies install these on a contract basis.

  23.  I believe you are asking the wrong question. Chemicals got you into this situation. Adding more chemicals, time, money is certainly not the answer.   If you follow the established parameters of the Archaea RNA microbial life forms they WILL eliminate odor within an hour. The grey and or black water/sludge will be reduced into their elemental form which will 100% eliminate all pathogens and chelate any toxic substances into their nutritional state.  At this point you will have the option of dumping clean potable water that is super charged with oxygen into a stream or return it to water storage tanks.  Food and water shortages will disappear rapidly.  The crops using the vitaminized recycled water will have a higher brix reading / nutrient dense.  Sometimes using nature makes more sense than Dollars.  

    1 Comment

    1. I believe you are ANSWERING the wrong question. I have no doubt that the Archaea systems you are trying to sell have their application, but please stop trying to shoehorn your sales pitch for Archaea into every question on this forum.

      In any biological system, bacterial and Archaea populations will thrive or die-off according to the environmental conditions. Putting a biological organism into a non-ideal habitat where it is competing with other organisms will achieve no long term solution.

  24. Dear Pramod,

    I agree with Jeremy and Rick. The Odor Causing Bacteria are Anaerobic, if you leave the treated wastewater as it is in the storage tank, it will be septic and will give you bad odor which is your case.

    To get rid of it, you may need to do Disinfection either by adding Sodium Hypochorite (NaOCl) or any other disinfectants, and / or you may aerate it to overcome anaerobic conditions. 

    If this is an open pond, you can make a fountain to beautify the pond as well as this will remove the septic conditions as the water will be in contact with air thus odor will be removed.

  26. Your title refers only to odour removal. If this is the main issue then the simplest solution is to aerate the pond. The odours are generally caused when the pond goes septic.

    Are the algae really a problem too? If so, covering the pond will prevent light entering and allowing green algae to grow, though you might get non-photosynthetic things growing instead. Alternatively use a chemical disinfectant (chlorine, sodium hypochlorite, or similar) if the chemical residual in the water doesn't create a problem for water re-use. This will also help to prevent odour by eliminating the bacteria which cause it to turn septic, and the chemicals are oxidising agents too.

    Attempting to control the algae by improving the performance of the STP is unlikely to be effective because algae only require trace concentrations of nutrients to grow; you might slow them down but you're unlikely to prevent growth altogether.

     

    1 Comment

    1. I feel that a part of the odor nuisance could be also caused by anaerobic conditions developing due to decaying algae if the treated effluent BOD is