Physicochemical Aspects of In-Sewer Processes

Chemical and physicochemical characteristics, conditions and processes are crucial for any biological system. A chemical basis also defines the conditions for the microbiologically initiated quality changes of wastewater under transport in sewers. Equilibrium and process-related aspects are important. 

The objective of this chapter is to highlight fundamental chemical and physicochemical aspects of general importance for sewer systems and in-sewer processes. The contents are selected with this in mind, and the focus is on chemical and physicochemical concepts adapted to this purpose. The chapter is written to serve as a solid background for understanding process-related aspects considering the sewer as a reactor. 

---

Other aspects concern the complex temperature impacts of the in-sewer processes. Sewer processes, microbial as well as physicochemical like reaeration, are temperature dependent. The different processes interact, and the overall temperature dependency of a specific phenomenon may therefore not... 

The dominance of the physical processes in a sewer related to wet-weather discharges does not mean that microbial and physicochemical processes in sewers play no role. However, the nature of these processes is different compared with what is observed during dry weather. In this respect, transformation of the components during transport in the sewer is typically of less importance. The following microbial process aspects should, however, typically be considered ... 

---