You may think using calcium nitrate is a cost-effective solution for wastewater management, but you’d be very wrong. Before getting into the nuts and bolts of the proven ineffectiveness and why it’s expensive, let’s first talk about calcium nitrate and wastewater treatment facilities continue to use it. First, the bacteria that results in hydrogen sulfide, or H2S, is the most common cause for wastewater collection system complaints. Second, when H2S is produced, it causes horrible odor and in high levels can be a danger to health.
Calcium Nitrate’s Dirty Little Secret
Calcium nitrate has long been used as a solution for reducing H2S. As explained, hydrogen sulfide is dangerous to health in high concentrations and therefore wastewater treatment plants rush to eliminate it quickly. No doubt that it does the trick; however, you must keep using it to control the H2S and this is where it turns into a scam that makes it a perpetual “solution.”
A few things to be aware of right out of the gate. Calcium nitrate needs at least several hours for effectiveness, and here’s the dirty little secret: calcium nitrate actually feeds and facilities the growth of the bacteria that causes H2S gas. Because it creates more H2S, naturally, you need more product to control the gas. This gets to be quite expensive and a never-ending “solution.” So, in the end, calcium nitrate doesn’t solve the problem, just causes a bigger problem over time with more product, incurring a high expense.
It also increases nitrogen levels in the wastewater and sends resultant N2 gas further downstream at the wastewater plant. Now, if you’re a wastewater manager, this solution can be quite costly and time-consuming. It can also reduce funds for other wastewater management. So, what’s the fix, you ask?
ATS Innova MB Eliminates the Problem
At ATS Innova™, our MB product line has more advantages over calcium nitrate. For instance, our MB-100 was designed to eat and consume biofilm where they grow and compete for essential nutrients. No sulfide, no H2S gas! Added benefits of Innova MB-100 include its ability to ingest large volumes of FOG (fats, oils, grease) throughout your entire collection system, which then reduces odor and the risk of sewer blockages.
An example showing the excellent performance of Innova MB-100 involves a case study we conducted in a Northern, UT Wastewater Collection System. Our team applied a highly concentrated dose of MB-100 into the collection system to reduce sulfate-reducing bacteria or SRB’s. After installing an automated maintenance system, which delivered daily doses of our product, it reduced the severity of H2S spikes from over 400 PPM (toxic to humans) to a decrease of around 100 PPM. The average daily H2S decreased from over 25 PPM to below 10 PPM. These are huge reductions with a modest decrease in cost over calcium nitrate This will save the public works department or collection system operators approximately $36,000 annually.
Contact ATS Innova to Start Saving Now
For more information about how we can solve your wastewater problems, contact our team of water experts at 855.215.4600. When you contact us, we can schedule a FREE plant walkthrough with you and help detect issues you may have with wastewater management. In the end, we ensure you a better performing and cost-effective solution that won’t break the bank. Call us now!
