Evaluating Alternative Oxidants for Artificial Chemical Oxygen Demand Removal Performance from Wastewater Treatment Plants

Julio Alejandro Gutiérrez González, Angel Fernández Mohedano () and Francisco Raposo Bejines
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Julio Alejandro Gutiérrez González: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus Universitario Pablo de Olavide, Carretera de Utrera km 1, Edificio 46, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
Angel Fernández Mohedano: Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
Francisco Raposo Bejines: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus Universitario Pablo de Olavide, Carretera de Utrera km 1, Edificio 46, 41013 Sevilla, Spain

Resources, 2025, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: The accurate characterization of pollution in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in wastewater treatment plants is considered as a key topic for their monitoring. In this research work, the negative interference of oxychlorides in COD measurements has been evaluated at a laboratory scale. Specifically, the role of oxychlorides as alternative oxidizing agents in competition with dichromate has been assessed. The extent of COD reduction performance varied widely (40–100%) according to the particular oxychloride oxidizing reagent used and its concentration, as well as the organic carbon source and amount present in the wastewater. The experimental values of COD removal performance should be considered as dual concentration dependent. On the one hand, for each oxidizing agent, the COD reduction performance is directly proportional to the dosage used in the experiment. On the other hand, the influence of organic matter concentration on COD removal performance was inversely proportional. In addition, chlorate can be considered the strongest oxidizing agent and the principal interferent responsible for the overevaluation of COD removal performance. Furthermore, the interference extent of oxychlorides on COD determination decreased in the order of phthalate > hydrocarbons > proteins. These results can be useful to appropriately evaluate the performance of wastewater treatment plants.

Keywords: chemical oxygen demand; interferent; organic matter; oxidizing agents; oxychlorides; wastewaters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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