In: Chemistry
Your wastewater facility releases ~ 82,000 gallons per day and has a permit to release magnesium at a total load of 2700 kg/yr (6.0 kg/day maximum). The facility runs 5 days a week and 11 months per year. Random spot checks of your effluent reveal the following:
Based on the available data, how many days do you estimate you are in and out of attainment with your permit (extrapolate to cover the full 11-month operating period of the facility)? Will you exceed your permitted yearly load? Include calculations, plots, and a summary table to support your answer (also, for full credit).
Date |
Conc. magnesium (mg/L) |
12-Mar |
29 980 |
17-Mar |
15 005 |
22-Mar |
2 268 |
27-Mar |
19 502 |
11-Apr |
12 067 |
16-Apr |
44 047 |
22-Apr |
1 320 |
29-Apr |
13 481 |
10-May |
6 925 |
17-May |
7 856 |
20-May |
10 863 |
30-May |
21 233 |
4-Jun |
13 726 |
11-Jun |
91 340 |
17-Jun |
8 112 |
23-Jun |
37 301 |
28-Jun |
42 649 |
1-Jul |
9 785 |
5-Jul |
36 198 |
9-Jul |
17 721 |
20-Jul |
29 564 |
6-Aug |
63 866 |
12-Aug |
57 050 |
1-Sep |
3 455 |
10-Sep |
51 532 |
From the information given about maximum magnesium levels, we have 6.0 kg/day maximun of magnesium load. If we calculate the daily load on March, 12th in the table by using the conversion factor:
Daily load = 29,980 mg/L (82,000 gallon/day)*(3.785 L/gallon)*(1 kg/1*106 mg) = 9,304.9 kg/day
Using it in every row of the table
Based on calculations, the owner of the wastewater facility is out of attainment with his permit every day of the shown in table. Hence, there are no days when the facility would be in of attainment, and it will exceed the permited yearly load.