Composition of a domestic sewage

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
An analysis of the organic constituents of whole, domestic sewage was made by analysing four physically separated fractions. Settlement, centrifuging and filtration were used to obtain one liquid and three solid fractions. Concentration of the filtrate was achieved by freeze‐drying with only minor changes in composition. The average concentration of organic carbon in fresh, whole domestic sewage was 310 p.p.m., of which about 70 per cent was in suspension. Eight classes of compounds were found, on analysis, to comprise about 75 per cent of the organic carbon in whole sewage and of the soluble organic carbon 80 per cent was distributed between five groups. Using chromatographic methods the concentrations of four volatile acids were determined and the presence of other acids was detected. Similarly, seven of the soluble sugars and eight present in hydrolysed suspended solids have been identified. The probable nature of some of the compounds unaccounted for is discussed.