Laboratory for Water and Wastewater Technologies

UMTEC has various analytical devices and experimental setups to address issues in the fields of analytics as well as soil contamination, drinking water treatment, and wastewater treatment. Below, we present our most important devices.

Sample Preparation

Microwave Digestion Device

The microwave digestion device is used in sample preparation for elemental analysis using ICP-OES to digest all types of solids or solid-containing liquids. Example application: Digestion of slags from waste incineration plants, roadside soils, or landfill leachate.

Ultracentrifuge and Tabletop Centrifuge

By centrifugation, the finest suspended solids can be separated from aqueous samples, and either the water and/or the solid fraction can be examined.

Application example: Centrifugation of nanoparticles from water samples or separation of pore water from soil samples.

Cryogenic Mill (Retsch / Laboratory)

This vibratory mill, developed for cryogenic grinding, is suitable for the comminution of sample quantities up to 20 ml. By integrating cooling of the grinding jar with liquid nitrogen, the sample is embrittled at -196°C. This allows materials such as soft plastics to be ground. Another advantage of the cooling is that volatile substances in the sample are preserved.

Air Jet Sieve

The air jet sieve can be used to perform a particle size analysis of dry sieving materials. With the heating register for preheating the air, hygroscopic solids can also be classified. Sieves with sizes of 200 mm and 400 mm can be used. The analysis range extends from approximately 10 to 4,000 µm.

Planetary Ball Mill

Two planetary ball mills are available for sample preparation for chemical analysis. Using stainless steel or zirconium oxide grinding bowls and the corresponding grinding balls, particle sizes of less than 0.1 mm can be achieved, depending on the material being ground. Up to 125 ml of sample can be processed per grinding cycle.

Rotor hammer mill

Temperature-sensitive samples are ground in the rotor high-speed mill, as the rapid grinding minimizes the thermal stress on the material. A fast-running rotor with attached ribs breaks the sample by impact. Additionally, the sharp-edged teeth, in conjunction with the sieve, shear the sample. In the final grinding stage, the sample is subjected to friction between the rotor and the sieve.

Analysis

ICP-OES

The ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry) can be used to analyze 72 elements from the periodic table in aqueous samples. Solid samples are first chemically digested or extracted (see Microwave Digestion Device).

Ion Chromatograph

The ion chromatograph (IC) is used for the quantification of ions in aqueous samples. It analyzes ions such as chloride (Cl-), ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-), phosphate (PO43-), sulfate (SO42-), and heavy metal ions.
Application example: Monitoring the effectiveness of precipitants for phosphate removal in municipal wastewater.

Mercury Analyzer

A sensitive system is available for the determination of mercury in solids and liquids, which vaporizes the mercury contained in the sample in a pyrolysis chamber, concentrates it on an amalgamator, and detects it in an AAS unit.

Photometer

The photometer can be used to determine various dissolved water constituents, such as chloride (Cl-), ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-), phosphate (PO43-), sulfate (SO42-), heavy metal ions, and dyes, as well as turbidity (FNU, NTU) in aqueous samples. UMTEC has three different devices available.

TOC/TNb Analyzer

The analysis device determines various carbon parameters in liquids and solids based on high-temperature oxidation.

Analyzable parameters: Total inorganic carbon (TIC), total organic carbon (TOC), purgeable organic carbon (POC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC).

Light microscopes

For the qualitative assessment of liquid or solid samples, a transmitted light microscope and a reflected light microscope with digital cameras and image analysis software are available.

Application example: Morphological characterization of activated sludge from a wastewater treatment plant or filter materials.

Handheld devices

Several mobile measuring devices are available for recording pH, oxygen, temperature, redox potential, and turbidity in the field and laboratory. Connected data loggers allow for the recording of measurement series. Ion-selective electrodes can be used to determine ammonium, for example.

BSB - Measuring device

It is used to determine the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of aqueous samples.

Coating thickness gauge

The coating thickness gauge can measure the thickness of coatings (non-magnetic and insulating layers) on metallic substrates, in the range of 0 to 1.25 mm.

Application examples: Checking the anodized layer after anodizing.

Test installations

Column system

A column system is used to assess the elution behavior of solid samples under saturated conditions, meeting the requirements of the TVA.

Application example: Determination of heavy metal leaching from soil excavations at shooting ranges.

Lysimeter system

The lysimeter system is used to assess the migration behavior of substances under unsaturated conditions. The filling can consist of soil, slag, sand, etc. The substance to be studied is either applied directly or released from the material by irrigation. The 6 lysimeters (30 x 70 cm and 30 x 30 cm) can be equipped with pF, tensiometer, pH, temperature, and conductivity probes.

Flocculation and flotation system + lamella clarifier

A process engineering combination system for precipitation and pressure flotation of wastewater is used for demonstration and development projects. Numerous parameters, such as pH value, coagulant concentration, and flocculant aids, can be adjusted.
Application example: Process treatment of industrial wastewater.

Flocculator (JAR-Test)

The flocculator is used for the evaluation and optimization of flocculation processes.

Application example: Development of an appropriate flocculation routine for the treatment of laundry wastewater.

Membrane Test Cell Millipore

In membrane test cells, membrane materials can be tested with the Millipore stirring cell at pressures up to 6 bar to determine permeability.

Application example: Testing of ultrafiltration membranes for the separation of dyes.

Membrane Test Stand Fouling

In the membrane test stand, based on the «Long Channel Membrane Test Cell» (LCMTC) from TU Dresden, flat membranes for microfiltration up to reverse osmosis, along with their spacers, can be tested for fouling behavior. A special feature is that the permeate can be continuously measured separately over five hydraulically separated segments using Coriolis flow meters.

Rainwater Treatment System

The modular system includes a feed tank (2000 liters), a biogas reactor (3500 liters), a climate control system for heating and cooling, an ultrafiltration system with a cleaning unit, and a control system. The membrane system can also operate without the bioreactor.

Laboratory Fermenter

The laboratory fermenters are used for cultivating microorganism cultures and conducting degradation tests (microcontaminants) under defined conditions (temperature, pH, redox potential, gas composition, conductivity, turbidity, light, substance concentrations, microorganisms, etc.).

Water hardness determination

The hardness of water samples can be determined using complexometric titration.

Application examples: Assessment of the efficiency and effectiveness of water softening systems.