Assessment of Sewage Treatment Plant Effluents Impact on River Water Quality Using Dissolved Rb/Sr Ratio

We present a new approach to elucidate and manage the impact of sewage effluents on river water quality using the dissolved Rb/Sr ratio. Rubidium is present in larger quantities than strontium in biological matrices (such as feces and urine), so that the ratio of these two elements represents an eff...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 1999-06, Vol.33 (12), p.1996-2000
Main Authors: Nirel, Pascale M, Revaclier, Roger
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
540320 - Environment, Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
Analysis methods
Applied sciences
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
CHEMICAL WASTES
Chemistry
CONCENTRATION RATIO
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Effluents
ELEMENTS
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Exact sciences and technology
Freshwater
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
METALS
Natural water pollution
NONRADIOACTIVE WASTES
POLLUTION
Pollution, environment geology
RIVERS
RUBIDIUM
SEWAGE
Sewage disposal
STRONTIUM
SURFACE WATERS
Switzerland, Geneva
Waste materials
WASTE PROCESSING PLANTS
WASTES
WATER POLLUTION
Water quality
Water treatment and pollution
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Summary:We present a new approach to elucidate and manage the impact of sewage effluents on river water quality using the dissolved Rb/Sr ratio. Rubidium is present in larger quantities than strontium in biological matrices (such as feces and urine), so that the ratio of these two elements represents an effective tracer. This is especially true in regions where the natural Rb/Sr ratio is low (calcareous regions). For a given water quality, the Rb/Sr ratio will remain constant, regardless of the river flow. Since both elements are easy to measure, this ratio has already been successfully used for pollution assessment in Geneva. The Rb/Sr ratio can also be used to model, for a given watershed, the capacity to withstand the effect of sewage effluent and to recover its natural quality.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es981097g