COD fractionation of wastewater on cruise liners before and after advanced treatment

Abstract: The purpose of this Bachelor thesis was to establish a method for determining the chemical oxygen demand (COD) fractionation in wastewater from cruise liners. COD fractions of interest were soluble biodegradable (SS), particulate biodegradable (XS), soluble unbiodegradable (SI) and particulate unbiodegradable (XI). Three types of wastewater (gray water, black water and permeate) were analysed and a method with a physiochemical approach was established. The method was originally elaborated by Jun Wu et al in the study “Wastewater COD biodegradability fractionated by simple physical–chemical analysis” (2014) Chemical Engineering Journal[ES1] [JB2]  258, p 450-459. The method was also used for comparison reasons of the COD fractionation in permeate before and after advanced treatment with nanofiltration and ozonation. Total COD in permeate was almost half of the initial value after nanofiltration and XI was eliminated. After ozonation no significant difference was observed neither in total COD concentration or fractionation pattern. The conclusion is that this method to determine the COD fractions has potential but it needs further optimization in form of adjusting the methods matrix specifically based on wastewater from cruise liners.