PPCPs in Water and Current Water Treatment ProcessCassie PerttulaCBE 555

Overview• The Significance of Water• PPCPs in Water• Bacteria in Water

• Treatment Processes• US• Bottled Water• Abroad

The Significance of Water• Survival• Agriculture• Energy Transfer• Steam• Cooling

• Safety• Dilution• “The Solution to Pollution is Dilution.”

Recent Water Concerns• Droughts• Water Hardness• Contamination• Chemical/Bacterial

Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs)

• Ibuprofen• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)• Inhibits prostaglandins (inflammatory response)• Negative Effects:• Dissolve Stomach

Lining(with long-term use)

• Difficult to develop blood clots

• Shampoo• 70-80% Water• 10-15% Detergents• Ammonium Lauryl

Sulfate

• Foaming Agents, etc

Chemical Data in Water – Portland 2012

Chemical Data in Water• From Oregon Public Broadcasting:“There are no legal limits for most of the household chemicals that are showing up in the water today. Most of them haven’t been studied enough to know how much is too much to put in a waterway.”

• Current chemical levels are “safe”

Bacteria Contamination? – Zip Line Accident• In 2012, a young woman cut her leg on a zip line

and fell into the Tallapoosa River in GA• Bacterial infection and leg amputation

• Bacteria was group A Streptococcus • Common bacteria• Easily treatable• If unchecked, takes over small tissues

• Bacteria live in water, but don’t fear it!

Water Treatment in the US• Water Treatment• Lakes, Rivers, etc

• Wastewater Treatment

Water Treatment in the US• Coagulation• Formation of floc• Alum, etc.

• Sedimentation• Filtration• Disinfection• Chlorine & Ammonia

• pH Monitor• Sodium Hydroxide

Wastewater Treatment in the US

Is Bottled Water Safer?• No• Often is repackaged tap water • Home Filtering Systems (ie: Brita Filter) also do

not stop PPCPs

Water Treatment Abroad• Do Water Treatment Processes Outside the US

Produce Cleaner Water?• Canada – Same as the US• European Union• Russia

Water Treatment-EU

• European Groundwater Directive• < 50mg/L Nitrates • <50mg/L Phosphates

• Testing PPCP Removal in Spain (wastewater)• Tertiary Wastewater Treatment• Reverse Osmosis/Membranes

Water Treatment Abroad - Russia• Russian Water Plagued

by Chemicals• Industrial• Pesticides

• Bottled Water or Boil Tap Water• 75% Surface Lakes/Rivers Contaminated• 50% Russians have drinkable water

• Water Treatment Developing Industrially

Developing Russian Wastewater Treatment• Industrial improvements are underway• Company Bashneft using a GE Process as of 2013• Membrane Bioreactor• Electrodialysis• Reverse Osmosis

Discussion• Should our wastewater treatment process be

improved even though there aren’t current PPCP regulations?

• HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION: At what point will the concentration of chemicals be unsafe for humans and wildlife?