Alum sludge from a Tampa water treatment plant was found to significantly reduce phosphorus release from anaerobic bottom sediments. The kinetics of phosphorus uptake by the sludge was evaluated in batch reactors. Further, the impact of the sludge on benthic organisms was determined in aquarium systems. Aquariums were set up with sediments and organisms from various lake habitats. Organisms were allowed to establish themselves and then test aquaria were dosed with alum sludge to cover the sediments. Benthic survival and heavy metal uptake were evaluated. Favorable phosphorus uptake was demonstrated in the batch reactors. The uptake kinetics were found to closely follow both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms over a wide range of sludge dose and phosphorus concentrations. Benthic organisms typical of polluted environments were not adversely affected by the sludge additions. However, oligochaetes exposed to the sludge had elevated metal concentrations. Clean water organisms were somewhat less tolerant of the sludge and did not significantly concentrate heavy metals.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ucf.edu/oai:stars.library.ucf.edu:rtd-1567 |
| Date | 01 October 1981 |
| Creators | Jellerson, David B. |
| Publisher | STARS |
| Source Sets | University of Central Florida |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Retrospective Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | Public Domain |
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