Reduce BOD

Question:
Are there methods for reducing the BOD for wastewater effluent of DI + Alconox by removing organic compounds, i.e. surfactants?

Answer:
The surfactants are the major source of BOD in Alconox. A reverse osmosis membrane can remove the organic surfactants in Alconox. It is also possible to break down the surfactants using UV/oxidation with ozone or peroxide. The broken down surfactants will have reduced BOD. Also, adding an activated carbon filtration system after the oxidation step will further reduce the BOD level. It would also be possible to reduce the BOD using an activated carbon filtration system alone. It this case, a partition between water and activated carbon is created that favors the water, which means an oversized carbon filtration system, must be used to significantly reduce the surfactant content.

To view a technical bulletin for Alconox, visit download this PDF.