pH
Adjustment

Biologic wastewater treatment methods utilize heterotrophic bacteria to consume wastewater organics generated in winemaking. Optimally, a final effluent water is produced that is low in organics and solids and that is suitable for land applications.

THE ROLE OF PH

Bacteria employed in biological wastewater treatment processes cannot tolerate pH extremes, performing best in the 6.0 to 8.0 range. Maintaining the proper pH is a concern for winery operators since winery wastewater pH values typically fluctuate throughout the year. In fact, profiles of winery wastewater show that variations in the pH scale from 3.5 to 10.0 are common, unacceptable parameters for supporting bacterial growth.

TARGETED SOLUTIONS

Heritage Systems has developed pH adjustment strategies effective in conditioning wastewater and in improving the performance of treatment systems while minimizing the impact on the environment.

Our choice of chemistries to be applied will depend on the specific treatment process to be targeted. Available pH adjustment chemistries include potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, aqueous ammonia, sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid.

In addition, we provide simple solutions for those wineries that must adjust the pH of their wastewater before releasing it into municipal treatment systems.

pH (noun)
(from potential of hydrogen) the logarithm of the reciprocal of hydrogen-ion concentration in gram atoms per liter; provides a measure on a scale from 0 to 14 of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution (where 7 is neutral and greater than 7 is more basic and less than 7 is more acidic); [syn: pH scale]