What does VS mean in UNCLASSIFIED

Volatile Solids, or VS, in wastewater treatment refer to the amount of material that remains after a predefined sample of wastewater has been treated in an oven. This includes organic and inorganic matter such as fats, oils, grease, suspended particles and other solids.

The presence of VS is important for both drinking water and wastewater treatment operations. It can be measured during the process of treating wastewater to check if the treatment system is performing efficiently and in compliance with regulations.

Because it measures solid residue left behind after evaporating water samples, this measurement is known as total solids or total suspended solids (TSS). To measure VS, first collect a sample from a wastewater stream and let it settle for some time. Then filter the sample through a pre-weighed filter paper and place it in an oven at 105°C until all water has been completely evaporated. The sample’s weight before and after the evaporation process will determine the amount of volatile solids present.

High levels of VS can indicate inadequate performance from a wastewater treatment plant or that waste is being discharged into a receiving stream without proper treatment. High levels could also be caused by poor management practices such as uncontrolled seepage or infiltration from stormwater runoff into collection systems. If not addressed swiftly, this could lead to energy and resource consumption issues resulting in additional costs for running a more effective plant operation.

Sources of VS can include industrial processes such as food manufacturing that use ingredients with high fat content; excessive discharge from animal feeding operations; polluted rainwater runoff; sewage overflows; urban development activities; agricultural activities such as livestock production; oil spills or leaks; burning wood or coal products; outdoor burning activities; improper disposal of medical waste etc.

Temperature affects how quickly water evaporates from wastewater samples so accuracy is vital when measuring volatile solids (VS). The drying temperature should remain constant throughout the measurement protocol for accurate results – usually set between 105 to 110 °C depending on the application being used.

Yes! Depending on local regulations and desired effluent quality, there are several methods available which can help reduce VSS concentrations in treated effluents including activated carbon adsorption, precipitation/coagulation/flocculation processes using alum or ferric chloride, air flotation processes and filtration processes using membrane filters.

Several pieces of specialized laboratory equipment may be required for accurately measuring VSS concentrations including an analytical balance for weighing filters, heating plates/ovens for drying out filters containing collected samples, filtration systems with pre-weighed filter paper for collecting samples, mixing tanks for preparing solutions etc.