Tag: biology

Proper disposal of the domestic waste before it goes in to the lakes and oceans is useful in preventing water pollution. Domestic sewage which is the waste water that goes out into the environment through several routes should be treated before being released. It contains soaps, detergents, toilet paper, household refuse all of which causes water pollution. All this sewage should be properly collected and treated in which contaminants are removed from sewage to produce sludge suitable for discharge into the environment. 

Domestic sewage primarily contains biodegradable organic matter, which readily decomposes by bacteria and other micro-organisms, which can multiply using these organic substances as substrates and hence utilise some of the components of sewage. It is possible to estimate the amount of biodegradable organic matter in sewage water by measuring biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). It can be purified treating with with micro-organisms.

The sedimentation process involves the settling down of particles suspended in water under the effect of gravity. The particles that settle down are known as sediment. In purification of water sedimentation process helps in reducing the concentration of particles in suspension. It is the first step used in the primary treatment of sewage water. 

Secondary treatment in a sewage plant relies on the activity of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms to break down organic matter, hence it is called biological treatment.

The sewage water can be treated in the treatment plants with the use of microbes. The bacterial cells, fungal cells and algae are the common microbes which are used for the cleaning of the waste. The microbes have the ability to feed and decompose on the organic matter and convert it to simpler non-toxic forms. The organic matter of the wastewater can be reduced and the water can be purified. 

Carbon dioxide, CO$ _2$, is gaining acceptance for pH control in water treatment plant. It reduces high pH levels quickly. It is not stored as an acid solution so it is considered safer than sulfuric acid. It is non-corrosive to pipes and equipment. It requires less equipment and monitoring costs. It requires no handling costs. It can be utilized via a completely automated system. 

Primary treatment basically involves physical removal of particles large and small from the sewage through the filtration and sedimentation. These are removed in stages initially floating debris is removed by sequential filtration.

Chlorine is a strong oxidizing agent commonly used in water treatment to disinfect water by killing pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses.

Chlorine is used for municipal drinking water purification. It is a strong oxidizing agent, hence it kills pathogenic bacteria by oxidation of organic molecules. Chlorine on hydrolysis produces hypochlorous acid that penetrates the pathogenic surface and disintegrates lipids in its cell wall. It also reacts with intracellular enzymes and proteins and deactivates them. Hence chlorination is used to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid. Thus the correct answer is option B.

The polluted water can be purified using the treatment plants. Activated sludge method refers to floc of microorganisms like bacteria and fungi which are used in the process to break down organic matter into carbon dioxide, water, and other inorganic compounds. There are microbes which grow in the water forming mass or flocs and help in the clearing of the water. These flocs are used in the next round of treatment plants for efficient removal of wastes.