Treatability of a nonionic surfactant by activated sludge

A field test of the biodegradability of the nonionic surfactant Neodol 45-7 was conducted at a small contact-stabilization activated sludge plant. At influent concentrations up to 10 mg/l, the surfactant had no discernible deleterious effect on either the liquid treatment process train or the solids handling process train. Overall, about 90% of the nonionic materials measured by the analytic procedures employed were removed by treatment under both winter and summer conditions.