Fast, Safe and Green COD Analyser for Industrial Wastewater Applications

Clean Harbors is an industrial wastewater treatment facility in Guelph, Ontario. The facility utilises highly refined, chemical precipitation processes, which remove heavy metals, suspended solids and organics to generate safe effluent for discharge into municipal sewer systems. Wastewater is treated to meet municipal discharge requirements for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5). Since BOD is a 5 day test, the results cannot be used to continuously monitor organic load. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is used as a fast assessment of organic contamination. A correlation study is then used to determine the relationship between COD and BOD5.

The 15 minute PeCOD COD analyser, from Mantech (Canada), is well suited for use in an industrial wastewater treatment facility due to its rapid analysis and safe operation. COD monitoring offers the operational feedback necessary for optimizing production, thereby reducing the consumption of raw materials, energy and sewer discharge costs.

The key advantage for Clean Harbors in adopting the PeCOD COD technology was the speed of the test. The wastewater treatment facility can obtain critical information on incoming loads within 15 minutes, allowing for quick decision making and more efficient treatment. The PeCOD COD analyser also provides a reliable estimate of BOD, which is required for compliance with municipal standards. Historically, the BOD results were received by Clean Harbors 8 days after sampling. Now the facility can obtain a daily real-time BOD estimate, ensuring peace of mind with regards to their treated discharge effluent.

By investing in a PeCOD COD analyser, Clean Harbors continuously monitors the organic load of influent and effluent wastewater, to optimise treatment processes. The speed and accuracy of the PeCOD COD method has led to substantial financial savings, thereby increasing profitability. In addition, Clean Harbors improved the health and safety of the workplace and their employees by eliminating the use of dichromate, mercury and concentrated acid required with the CODCr test. With the PeCOD investment, Clean Harbors demonstrated financial, sustainable and environmental stewardship, which benefits the community as a whole.

To learn more about the 15 minute COD analyser, visit mantech-inc.com