University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Civil Engineering Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research Civil Engineering 12-2013 Development of a Field Test for Total Suspended Solids Analysis Jessica Branigan University of Nebraska, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/civilengdiss Part of the Civil Engineering Commons, and the Environmental Engineering Commons Branigan, Jessica, "Development of a Field Test for Total Suspended Solids Analysis" (2013). Civil Engineering Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research. 68. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/civilengdiss/68 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Civil Engineering at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Civil Engineering Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. DEVELOPMENT OF A FIELD TEST METHOD FOR TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS ANALYSIS by Jessica A. Branigan A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science Major: Civil Engineering Under the Supervision of Professor John Stansbury Lincoln, Nebraska December 2013 ii DEVELOPMENT OF A FIELD TEST METHOD FOR TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS ANALYSIS Jessica A. Branigan, M.S. University of Nebraska, 2013 Adviser: John Stansbury Total suspended solids (TSS) are all particles in water that will not pass through a glass fiber filter with a pore size less than 2 μm, including sediments, algae, nutrients, and metals. TSS is an important water quality parameter because of its adverse effects on aquatic species and wildlife. The EPA has proposed a regulation for turbidity, a related water quality parameter, which has been stayed pending further testing. TSS is regulated through the EPA via the NPDES in many states. Since there are no accepted field tests for TSS, projects with TSS regulations must send samples to a laboratory for analysis, which can delay projects for days. The goal of this research was to develop a rapid, cost- effective, and consistent method for direct measurement of TSS in the field. Theoretical analyses of three initial designs (centrifugation, rapid heating, and rapid filtration using vacuum assist) showed that in order to obtain sufficient suspended material to measure in the field, too much water would be needed for each sample to be feasible for centrifugation and rapid heating. A new prototype rapid filtration system design was developed for evaluation. Subsequent testing showed this system to be inaccurate. A second system was modified the method was modified to for rapid iii filtration with no vacuum. Testing of this system also showed results were not precise enough to be a feasible field test. It was concluded that none of the described methods were currently feasible, and that the laboratory test could also have inaccuracies in measuring water samples tested to meet regulation standards. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author expresses thanks to all who assisted with the completion of this project. My appreciation is especially extended to my adviser Dr. John Stansbury for his motivation and support through the steps of this project. The author would also like to thank Dr. Tian Zhang and Dr. John Rohde for their guidance throughout the process of completing this project. Special appreciation goes to the sponsor of this project, Mid- America Transportation Center (MATC). Special thanks go to Robbie Jones, manager of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Theatre Scene Shop, for allowing the use of the space and tools for the construction of an apparatus, as well as Dan Jones, a research assistant at UNO, for aid in the design of an apparatus. Thanks are also extended to Midwest Plastics, Inc., for the expert construction of the final apparatus design. A special thank you goes to Dr. Steve From and Dr. Andrew Swift, professors in the UNO Math Department, who provided great insight into time-dependent statistical analysis at the initial stages of this project. Lastly, I would like to thank my family and friends as well as Luke Batterman for their support and contributions throughout the project. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS .....................................................................................................v LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... xiii SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 SECTION 2: OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE ........................................................................3 2.1 Objectives ...............................................................................................................3 2.2 Scope .......................................................................................................................3 SECTION 3: LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................6 3.1 Regulatory Definition of Total Suspended Solids ..................................................6 3.2 Sources of Suspended Solids ..................................................................................6 3.3 Factors Affecting TSS Concentrations in Water Bodies ........................................7 3.4 Effects of Total Suspended Solids on Water Quality .............................................9 3.4.1 Water Clarity ..................................................................................................9 3.4.2 Water Temperature ........................................................................................9 3.4.3 Dissolved Oxygen ........................................................................................10 3.4.4 Sedimentation ..............................................................................................10 3.4.5 Nutrient and Chemical Loading in Water Bodies ........................................11 3.4.6 Impacts to Wildlife and Aquatic Species .....................................................12 3.5 Regulation of Total Suspended Solids ..................................................................13 3.5.1 History of Total Suspended Solids Regulation ............................................13 3.5.2 Current Total Suspended Solids Regulation ................................................13 vi 3.6 Existing Testing Methods for Total Suspended Solids .........................................14 3.6.1 Representative Sampling .............................................................................14 3.6.2 Common Laboratory Total Suspended Solids Testing Methods .................18 3.6.3 Comparison of Laboratory Methods ............................................................19 3.6.4 Total Suspended Solids Sensors and Probes ................................................20 3.7 Total Suspended Solids and Turbidity ..................................................................24 3.7.1 Turbidity ......................................................................................................24 3.7.2 Turbidity Regulation ....................................................................................25 3.7.3 Correlations between Total Suspended Solids and Turbidity ......................26 3.8 Control and Treatment of Total Suspended Solids ...............................................26 SECTION 4: METHODS AND MATERIALS ................................................................29 4.1 Soil Sample Production.........................................................................................29 4.1.1 Soil Analysis ................................................................................................29 4.1.2 Soil Types Used in Experiments ..................................................................36 4.2 Laboratory Technique Used for Total Suspended Solids Testing ........................36 4.3 Proposed Field Techniques for Total Suspended Solids ......................................38 4.3.1 Development of a Homogenous Mixing System .........................................38 4.3.2 Theoretically-Analyzed Methods.................................................................39 4.3.3 Experimentally-Tested Methods ..................................................................44 4.3.4 TSS Portable Sensor Calibration .................................................................57 4.4 Statistical Methods ................................................................................................58 4.4.1 Determination of Statistical Analyses to be Completed ..............................58 4.4.2 Average and Standard Deviation .................................................................59 4.4.3 T-Test Analysis ............................................................................................59 vii SECTION 5: RESULTS ...................................................................................................61 5.1 Soil