SURFACTANTS IN WASTEWATER: CHALLENGES TO TREATMENT

Efficiency And Effective

Rising surfactant levels in wastewater are hindering treatment processes. Moleaer's nanobubble technology offers a non-toxic solution to enhance efficiency and tackle this critical issue.

The word surfactant comes from “SURFace ACTive AgeNT,” which describes their chemical function: they lower the surface tension between two substances, such as a liquid and solid or two unmixable liquids. The structure of surfactants typically consists of a hydrophilic (water-loving) head and a hydrophobic (water-repelling) tail. This unique structure enables surfactants to interact simultaneously with both water and non-water substances, facilitating the formation of stable mixtures or emulsions.

Surfactants are used widely in various industries, including personal care products, detergents, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, paints and coatings, agriculture, and oil recovery processes. Common examples include sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) found in most personal care products and benzalkonium chlorides (BACs), used in industrial cleaning. They contribute to the functionality, stability, and performance of these products and processes by modifying interfacial properties and improving interactions between different substances.

Why is there an increase of surfactants in wastewater?

Most aerobic biological processes in wastewater treatment can manage low levels of surfactants and can be effective in removing them. However, they are difficult to treat at high concentrations. Several recent trends have resulted in elevated surfactant concentrations in wastewater, making surfactant removal more important than ever.

• The pandemic and trends in surfactantcontaining products. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, people were urged to wash and disinfect their homes, workspaces, schools, hospitals, stores, and themselves more frequently and more thoroughly, leading to higher concentrations of surfactants in wastewater discharged to the collection system. The move toward liquid soaps and concentrated liquid detergents and away from bar soaps and powdered detergents, a trend that preceded Covid-19, has also exacerbated the problem because liquid cleaners contain more surfactants than solid cleaners.