Abstract
Organic compounds present in many industrial effluents are transported to varying extents to the gaseous or solid phase, in addition to potential biodegradation, during treatment. Knowledge of the fate of such compounds is critical for making valid policy and engineering decisions regarding issues such as the disposal of sludges, effluent toxicity, and emissions to the ambient air. To quantify the relative distribution of the fate of selected groups of compounds, a mathematical model is presented which describes the intermedia transport mechanisms including volatilization, solids sorption, and biodegradation. The extent of removal via each modeled pathway is a function of the physical properties of the specific compound and the process design and operational parameters of the system.