CHEMISTRYoftheENVIRONMENT环境化学讲义.pptVIP

Most municipalities also carry out secondary treatment, which harnesses(利用) bacteria to metabolize organic compounds, converting them to CO2. In this way, the BOD is substantially decreased (see Figure 14.6). If the sewage is not metabolized in this way, then the wastewater BOD can overwhelm the oxidizing capacity of receiving waters, leading to anoxic(缺氧的) conditions. In secondary treatment, the wastewater is sprayed over a bed of sand or gravel that is covered by aerobic microorganisms, or else agitated with the microbes in a reactor. At the end of this process, the BOD is lowed by as mu