AbstractsLaw & Legal Studies

Abstract

The hazard posed by combined sewer overflow (CSO) to receiving water cannot be overemphasized due to its significant contribution of pollutants. Ontario’s Procedure F-5- 5 stipulates a minimum treatment limit of 50% reduction in suspended solids (SS) and 30% reduction in the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) for CSOs discharged in Ontario. The City of Windsor, Ontario, currently uses a synthetic polymer (Zetag 7873) for CSO treatment at its retention treatment basin (RTB) utilizing a physicochemical treatment method. Environmental persistence and potential toxicity are common concerns associated with synthetic polymers. These concerns may be limited when plant or animal based natural polymers are utilized. The effectiveness of commercially available natural polymers were evaluated for Windsor CSO treatment. The results show that Tanfloc SG was able to surpass the target of Procedure F-5-5 up to removal efficiencies of 91% and 56% for SS and BOD5 respectively for polymer dosages ranging between 5 mg/L – 30 mg/L. Advisors/Committee Members: Seth, Rajesh, Biswas, Nihar.