Bacterial digestion is an economical method of sewage...

Bacterial digestion is an economical method of sewage treatment. The reaction $\begin{aligned} 5 \mathrm{CO}_{2}(g)+& 55 \mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}(a q)+76 \mathrm{O}_{2}(g) \stackrel{\text { Bacteria }}{\longrightarrow} \\ & \mathrm{C}_{5} \mathrm{H}_{7} \mathrm{O}_{2} \mathrm{N}(s)+54 \mathrm{NO}_{2}-(a q)+52 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(l)+109 \mathrm{H}^{+}(a q) \end{aligned}$ Bacterial tissue is an intermediate step in the conversion of the nitrogen in organic compounds into nitrate ions. What mass of bacterial tissue is produced in a treatment plant for every $1.0 \times 10^{4} \mathrm{kg}$ of wastewater containing $3.0 \% \mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}$ ions by mass? Assume that $95 \%$ of the ammonium ions are consumed by the bacteria.

Bacterial digestion is an economical method of sewage treatment. The reaction
$\begin{aligned} 5 \mathrm{CO}_{2}(g)+& 55 \mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}(a q)+76 \mathrm{O}_{2}(g) \stackrel{\text { Bacteria }}{\longrightarrow} \\ & \mathrm{C}_{5} \mathrm{H}_{7} \mathrm{O}_{2} \mathrm{N}(s)+54 \mathrm{NO}_{2}-(a q)+52 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(l)+109 \mathrm{H}^{+}(a q) \end{aligned}$
Bacterial tissue
is an intermediate step in the conversion of the nitrogen in organic compounds into nitrate ions. What mass of bacterial tissue is produced in a treatment plant for every $1.0 \times 10^{4} \mathrm{kg}$ of wastewater containing $3.0 \% \mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}$ ions by mass? Assume that $95 \%$ of the ammonium ions are consumed by the bacteria.

Key Concepts

Wastewater Treatment Processes

Wastewater treatment processes like bacterial digestion involve the biological conversion of harmful substances, such as ammonium ions, into less harmful products. Understanding the chemical reactions that occur, including the production of bacterial tissue and other byproducts, is essential for designing efficient treatment systems that minimize environmental impact while ensuring economical operation.

Mass Percentage Conversion

Mass percentage conversion refers to the method of determining how much of a particular substance is present in a mixture by mass. In wastewater treatment, it is crucial to convert percentage concentrations in the wastewater into actual masses, which can then be used in stoichiometric calculations to assess the consumption of specific reactants, such as ammonium ions, during treatment.

Reaction Yield and Limiting Reagent

Reaction yield and the concept of the limiting reagent are key to understanding real-world chemical processes. Reaction yield accounts for the fact that not all of a reactant may be consumed or converted into a product, as seen when only a percentage of a reactant participates in the reaction. Identifying the limiting reagent—which is fully consumed first—allows for accurate calculation of the final amount of product formed, especially in cases where the reaction does not proceed to full conversion.

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the calculation of relative quantities of reactants and products in chemical reactions. For processes such as bacterial digestion in sewage treatment, it allows us to determine how much of each substance is needed or produced based on the balanced chemical equation. This concept forms the backbone of converting from one chemical species to another and is essential for quantifying outcomes in chemical processes.

Molar Mass Determination

Molar mass determination involves calculating the mass of one mole of a chemical compound using the atomic masses of its constituent elements. In environmental applications, knowing the molar mass of both reactants and products is vital for converting mass measurements into moles and back, thereby linking chemical reaction stoichiometry with practical mass-based calculations.

Transcript

Please give Ace some feedback