Real-time in-situ measurement of haemoglobin in wastewater

The meat processing industry generates large volumes of relatively high load wastewater. In New Zealand and Australia this wastewater is often pre-treated on site and then discharged to environmental waters or municipal sewers. Owing to the limited number of water quality parameters which can be measured in real-time it is often difficult for industry to optimise treatment processes or public bodies to monitor for water-quality compliance. Abattoir wastewater is often observed to be red in colour, owing to the presence of haemoglobin. Measurement of visible light absorption spectra of wastewater grab samples has for some time provided information about blood concentration. However such grab sampling techniques are piecemeal and cannot provide instantaneous time resolved signals which are required for process control or comprehensive monitoring. In this work an in-situ UV/VIS spectrometer is used to continuously determine the concentration of haemoglobin in wastewater arriving for treatment at two different Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs). The data is of high temporal resolution- data recorded at the distant WWTPs allows for identification process events, such as the end of shift wash downs.