Analytical Techniques in Environmental Chemistry
PESTAB. The movement of various industrial chemicals was traced from their origin, through the Delaware River, and into the drinking water of Philadelphia. Discharges from one of the plants studied went into the city sewer along with effluents from other industrial users. These wastes were treated at the Northeast Sewage Treatment plant using classical secondary treatment methods. The treated effluent was discharged into the Delaware River, at river mile 104. Water flow at this segment of the river is dominated by tidal movement rather than downstream river flow. The concentrations of 84 compounds observed at various sampling sites are presented in tabular form; the compounds included DDE and the herbicide 2,5-dichloro-N(1,1-dimethyl-2-propyl)benzamide. The compounds of greatest environmental significance and biological activity were found to be the least affected by the waste treatment process. Those chemicals which were significantly reduced in concentration were primarily reduced due to dilution in large quantities of water.