Enhancing Wastewater Ammonia Treatment with Economical CA-6 Colorimetric Analyzer

Engineers at municipal wastewater treatment plants tasked with the removal of ammonia will find the versatile CA-6 Colorimetric Ammonia Analyzer from Electro-Chemical Devices (ECD) helps them protect water quality with confidence prior to releasing effluent into re-use systems, groundwater recharge basins and surface water systems.

Exposure to ammonia over time is toxic to aquatic life. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends a limit of 0.02 ppm as NH3 in freshwater or marine environments. Total ammonia levels, at this limit, can range from 160 ppm at a pH6 level and at temperature of 41°F (5°C) to 0.06 ppm at a pH9 level and temperature of 77°F (25°C).

Wastewater treatment plants frequently use the Nitrification method to remove ammonia. Nitrification is a two-step process for removing ammonia from wastewater using two different types of autotrophic bacteria that oxidize ammonia to nitrite (nitrosomonas) and then oxidize nitrite to nitrate (nitrobacter).

Full article