摘要 |
A method of tracing sewage effluent is described in which samples of fluid flows are subjected to high performance liquid chromatography with respective elution systems capable of eluting different selected compounds therefrom, and the concentration of each compound in the sample is determined spectroscopically. The method is used to determine sewage flow paths in natural water bodies, such as rivers, to check for contamination by sewage, to determine possible sewage sources, the detection of uric acid, for example, being indicative of a human source; and to monitor the effluent from sewage treatment plants. A monitoring system for sewage treatment works is also described in which bromophenol blue is added to the sewage influent to the biodegradation stage as a dilution indicator and the changes in the bromophenol blue concentration and in the concentration of a biodegradable sewage component, such as uric acid, are monitored throughout the stage to give an indication of the progress of the biodegradation reaction; this information is used in controlling the operation of the plant to maximize its efficiency.
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