MODELING THE KINETICS OF POLLUTION REDUCTION IN RIVERS FOR EVALUATING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT EFFICIENCY

Abstract

This study investigates the application of pollution reduction kinetics in rivers as a basis for evaluating and optimizing the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants. Traditional assessment methods primarily rely on effluent quality standards, often neglecting the natural self-purification capacity of receiving water bodies. In this research, the kinetics of organic pollutant degradation—particularly Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)—are modeled using first-order reaction equations, alongside the oxygen balance described by the Streeter–Phelps model.