AboutDavid L. Russell, PE Expertise I`m a Chemical,Civil and Environmental Engineer and have a number of projects in all phases of the environment.
I have worked in the chemical industry and am active in professional societies, and am currently on an industrial wastes committee for the Water Environment Federation, and have taught courses in remediation in the US and abroad.
I have written one book on Remediation of petroleum Contaminated Sites, and have a second book on PRACTICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT to be published by John Wiley in September, 2006. I've also written over 30 articles on various elements of environmental problems and cleanup. Most Recently, I have addressed a NATO Scientific and Techical Conference on Ecoterrorism, and have worked with the same group on remediation of sites contaminated with Chemical Warfare Agent materials and othe materials as well. . I can answer q`s about Chemical and Environmental Engineering, land development, air pollution, water pollution, soil and water cleanup, combustion, international environmental problems, industrial processes chemical processes. Civil and Environmental and Chemical Engineering. Overall, I have over 35 years of experience in this area. Note: I do not answer homework questions
Experience I love work in the third world and developing areas
because it is challenging and one can get a sense of accomplishment.
Question Are there brands of detergents, or generic types of them, that are safer than others on the aquifer? I am referring to laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, or even car wash detergent, which end up in the septic tank or on the ground. I'm wondering if these will find their way into the aquifer before degrading, thus harming the water supply, and if so, what products would be least harmful to use.
Answer Frank:
You pose a very interesting question. The answer unfortunately, depends upon the amount of organic material and the permeability of the soil. This works in two ways.
1. The organic material will adsorb the nutrients and chemicals in the detergents and adsorb them and treat them biologically and incorporate them into new soil mass or new bacteria. As soil is a heterogeneous population, it depends upon the amount of air in the soil (aerobic reactions are about 3x faster than anaerobic reactions), the chemistry of the soil, and a host of other factors including the exchange capacity of the soil.
2) The permeability and water table of the soil controls how fast things will reach the water table. Clay soils, as you know are very impermeable. Sandy soils are very permeable. Without knowing the specifics of the soils in your area, there are a few general rules which may be applicable. There are some sources of help as well..
First the help: http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/wastewater.cfm is the National Small Flows organization set up for septic systems etc. Their data base will be able to provide you with some guidance.
Second: Phosphate detergent builders were once the darlings of the detergent industry. No longer because they have a tendency to be persistent and create algae blooms in surface waters (the groundwater and the surface water are connected). Silicates in the detergents might be a better bet. Also look for biodegradable detergents, as the older detergents use to contain alkyl benzene sulfonate which was very slowly degradable, and now most detergents contain LAS or Linear Alkyl Sulfonates which are biodegradable.
All detergents will have a high pH, especially dish detergents and laundry detergents. Those which are pH balanced might be a bit better, but that's just a guess without knowing what the specific formulation of the detergent is. What works in one area does not necessarily work in another area.
I realize that I have not give you much of an answer, but At least I tried. Good luck.
