Innovative Strategies for Removing Emerging Contaminants for Indirect

Innovative Strategies for Removing Emerging Contaminants for Indirect Potable Water Reuse - Oak Bluffs, MA Case Study Marc Drainville, PE BCEE LEED AP | GHD Chandra Mysore, Ph. D. , PE, BCEE | GHD Anastasia Rudenko, EIT | GHD Rhodes Copithorn, PE, BCEE | GHD

Outline • • • Background Emerging contaminants Plant data and current performance Technologies considered Characterization & bench-scale testing Current status 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Background

Plant location • Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts (Martha’s Vineyard) • Population 3, 713 (US census data) 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Wastewater treatment facility • SBRs with primary clarifier, effluent filters, and UV • Seasonal flows • Wastewater: municipal and hospital flow • Discharge to Ocean Park 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Project need • New disposal area – Purchased new property adjacent to existing WWTF • Requirements released March, 2009 include limitations for total organic carbon (TOC) – 3. 0 mg/L for discharge within a Zone II drinking water protection area and >2 -year travel time to source – 1. 0 mg/L for discharge within a Zone II area and <2 -year travel time to source – 1. 0 mg/L for discharge within a Zone II area without soil aquifer treatment • TOC limit is a daily limit (24 hour composite sample) 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Emerging contaminants

Emerging contaminants • • 31 million organic and inorganic substances documented 14 million commercially available < 250, 000 inventoried or regulated Domestic, industrial & agricultural compounds: – Pharmaceuticals: prescription & non-prescription – Personal care products – Industrial & commercial products (detergents & metabolites, plasticizers, flame retardants, pesticides) • Potential Health Effects – EDCs – Carcinogens – Developmental toxicants 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Health effects of CEC • Concentrations are very small – but what are the potential effects? Chemical Group Common Uses Reproductive Health Concerns Alkyl phenols and related chemicals • • • Hormone mimicking activities Reduced male fertility, testicular size, sperm quality • • • Industrial and institutional cleaning sector (including domestic cleaning) Textile and leather processing Personal care products (PCPs) Pesticide Production • • • Plasticizers in PVC and special polymer applications Gelling agents Solvents and fixatives in cosmetics and other PCPs • • Testicular toxicity Reduced anogenital distance, cleft phallus, hypospadias and undescended testes in immature males Reduced male and female fertility Fetal toxicity (possibly leading to death or malformations) Phtalates Bromated flame retardants • As flame retardants in industrial and electrical appliances, vehicles, lighting, wiring as well as textiles, furnishing and insulating materials such as polystyrene • • • Estrogen mimicking Birth defects in rodents documented Impacts on nervous system and behavioral development Organotin Compounds • • PVC UV stabilizers Argochemicals and biocides Antifoulants Catalysts • • Inhibition of steroid hormone production Adverse impact on in-utero development of fetus including abnormalities in genital development in male fetuses Bisphenol-A and its derivatives • Production of polycarbonate plastic used in products like baby bottles, CDs, motorcycle windshields, etc. Production of epoxy resin used in things like food packaging • • Estrogenic activity Altered male reproductive organs Early puberty induction Reduced breast feeding Fragrance mixtures for detergents, fabric conditioners, cleaning agents, air fresheners, and other household products Cosmetic products such as soaps, shampoos, and perfumes • • Estrogenic activity Anti-estrogenic activity • Artificial Musks • • Source: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Why TOC? • TOC as a surrogate for many contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) • Studies have shown that Pharmaceuticals & Personal Care Products (PPCPs) adsorb on to particulates of organic carbon, hence removal of TOC provides for removal of PPCPs. 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Plant data and current performance

Plant data • Design Flow = 370, 000 gpd • Design Peak Flow = 1. 3 mgd • Current status: ~ 40% design flow 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Historical TOC data 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Water quality data Water Quality Parameter Unit Influent Effluent p. H SU 6. 6 7. 16 Alkalinity mg/L 190 90 Ammonia (unionized) mg/L 26 2. 7 Total Nitrogen mg/L 45 5. 3 Total Phosphorous mg/L 6. 7 4. 8 CBOD 5 mg/L 200 3 COD mg/L 550 55 TSS mg/L 94 3 UV Absorbance (1/cm) 0. 41 0. 22 TOC mg/L 81 12 DOC mg/L 81 11 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Technologies considered

Technologies to achieve less than 3. 0 mg/L (post-tertiary) • Membrane filtration – Nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration • Ion exchange • Adsorption (GAC) • Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) • Coagulation and filtration 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Process alternatives 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Process alternatives 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Membranes • • Requires pretreatment to minimize fouling May require post-treatment for water chemistry stabilization Concentrate disposal required (high salinity RO concentrate) Excellent TOC and CEC removal 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Ion exchange • Continuous process with magnetized anionic exchange resin designed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal • DOC exchanged with chloride ions on the MIEX resin surface, resin has to be regenerated • Brine disposal required • Potential for good DOC and CEC removal 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Adsorption Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) • TOC adsorbed in a downflow or upflow contactor • Requires pre-treatment and disposal / regeneration of spent GAC once breakthrough occurs • Good TOC and CEC removal Treated Wastewater Effluent GAC Contactor 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Advanced oxidation • Oxidation by hydroxyl radicals • Typically used as polishing step following membrane filtration • Good CEC destruction, but mineralization to CO 2 cost-prohibitive Hydrogen Peroxide Treated Wastewater Effluent UV Reactor 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Pre-treatment • Alter physical / chemical properties of suspended particles to increase agglomeration (create larger flocs) • Chemical coagulants include aluminum sulfate (alum), ferric chloride, and ferric or ferrous sulfate Coagulant Sedimentation Basin Treated Wastewater Effluent Rapid Mix Flocculation BASIN Filters 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Challenges at Oak Bluff • Requirement for a high level of treatment – Need to achieve levels below 3 mg/L (desire to be as low as 1 mg/L) • A hospital contributes in the order of 10% of the flow to the plant • Small user base with median income (year round population) at or below state median • Piloting likely needed to determine optimum process • Limited options for waste stream disposal 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Initial approach Phase I • Focus on technologies (pre-treatment) that could reduce TOC in economic ways • Focus on low cost means to determine an ultimate treatment solution (wastewater characterization, bench testing etc. ) 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Characterization & bench-scale testing

Phase I • Wastewater characterization – Organic matter characterized at the University of Massachusetts – XAD-8/XAD-4 Resins and HPSEC • Bench-Scale testing 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Influent organic matter characterization 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Influent organic matter characterization 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Phase I Bench-scale testing – ACTICARB by Kruger – MIEX by Orica – Ferrate by Ferrate treatment technologies – Testing by GHD 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Bench-scale testing of ACTICARB • Alter physical / chemical properties of suspended particles to increase agglomeration (create larger flocs) • Best coagulant was ferric sulfate – 50 mg/L dose, no PAC: - 47% removal of TOC – 50 mg/L dose, 30 mg/L PAC: - 59% removal of TOC 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Bench-testing with MIEX • • • Jar testing with MIEX alone Jar testing with coagulation alone MIEX + coagulation Best coagulant was ferric sulfate Coagulation alone provided 53% Removal by MIEX alone was marginal. • Improved removal by 5% WWTP MIEX Treatment Rate (BV) Ferric sulphate (mg/L) MIEX Resin with Ferric Sulfate Coagulation 600 Bed Volumes - 30 40 50 12. 3 5. 30 5. 20 5. 11 - 57 58 58 0. 218 0. 084 0. 081 0. 098 UVA 254 Remocal (%) - 61 63 55 Ferric sulphate (mg/L) - 30 40 50 56 8 5 6 p. H 8. 40 6. 37 5. 79 3. 82 Total Alkalinity (mg/L Ca. CO 3) 100 100 Calcium Ca. CO 3) 80 80 Total Hardness (mg/L Ca. CO 3) 100 100 Settled Turbidity (NTU) 10. 8 1. 34 2. 25 0. 84 56 8 5 6 DOC (mg/L) DOC Removal (%) UVA 254(cm-1) True Color (CU) Hardness True Color (CU) (mg/L 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Bench-testing with ferrate • Ferrate (iron six) acts as an oxidant, coagulant, and as a disinfectant. • Research is being conducted to understand ferrate effects on emerging contaminants 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Bench-testing by GHD • Conducted jar testing with ferric sulfate and cationic polymer • Best dose was 50 mg/L coagulant with 0. 5 mg/L polymer • Resulted in TOC reduction of 45 -50% 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Phase I findings • A Ferrate dose of 2 -4 ppm resulted in 56 -65% removal of TOC • For the other three jar tests, ferric sulfate performed the best in terms of TOC removal • For a ferric sulfate dose (45 -50 mg/L), a TOC reduction of 45%-53% is possible 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Phase I findings (cont’d) • Pilot would be needed to confirm results • Investigate cause of wide range of TOC • Focus on Pilot-Studies to confirm findings – Pilot-studies will be conducted with: • GAC • Ferrate - test Ferrate at various application points • Based on the outcome of the pilot-study, recommend a full-scale tertiary treatment technology to Town 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Process flow diagram of pilot 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

Current status

Next steps • Costs of highly complex treatment process were determined to be in excess of $5 million and these were found to be unaffordable for the town at the time • Town requested research into “regulatory” alternatives – Worked with the state DEP for one year and met unofficial alternative requirements for safe distance from drinking water well (for TOC limit only) – Met with Town Water Department to make case about safe distance – Have received unofficial approval from both DEP and Town Water Department to pursue a modified permit – Currently in permit application process and hope to have a modified permit by spring of 2014 – If the modified permit fails, the Town will pursue the TOC treatment 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

www. ghd. com 2013 NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium