Long-term biodegradability of textile chemicals.

The biod?gradation of textile chemicals by conventional biological treatment systems is of vital concern to the textile industry today. Because most waste treat ment plants depend on biological respira tion for the generation of sludge and ultimate removal of organic contaminants from the waste stream, it is imperative that a quantitative measure of the waste stream's biodegradability be obtained. Certainly, a particular textile chemical does not have to be biodegradable to be removed by the biological treatment plant. It may be insoluble and removed directly by settling in a lagoon or clarifier, or it may be adsorbed by the biosludge and removed when the sludge is separated. If the latter is the case, sufficient sludge must be present to adsorb the chemical. This is an im