TREATMENT OF WASTEWATER STREAMS CONTAINING SURFACTANTS

摘要

A method of cleansing wastewater of surfactants. The method includes subjecting a wastewater stream containing surfactant contamination to ultra-filtration to separate components in wastewater including a concentrate and a permeate, and subjecting the permeate to contact with activated carbon sufficient to remove the surfactants to a desired level. The method is particularly suitable for dealing with surfactants from the alkylphenol ethoxylate family, and it is possible to reduce the level of surfactants in the wastewater stream to less than 0.1 mg/l by means of the disclosed method.