The Relation of Marine Fishes to Acids with Particular Reference 

 to the Miles Acid Process of Sewage Treatment 



V. E. Shelford 

 University of Illinois, Urbana 



1, Introduction 



A number of new biological problems have arisen in connection with 

 the war. The munition works have been throwing large quantities of 

 acid into streams and into the sea. Along the coast of New Jersey 

 certain tide pool fishes have been relied upon to keep down mosquitoes, 

 under a sj^stem of ditching. The acids thrown into the tide waters by 

 the munition factories repelled the fishes so it was feared the mosquito 

 work would be vitiated. About the same time that this difficulty attracted 

 attention, a group of scientists asked Congress to appropriate a sum of 

 money to install a plant for the treatment of the sewage of Boston by 

 the Miles Acid Process. This process recovers fertilizer, ammonia, grease 

 and glycerine (Weston, 1916). The plant was asked for as a war 

 measure, but the appropriation was not granted because it was argued 

 that the process would not yield sufficient profits. The scientists in 

 charge argued that it would supply a stertile medium for the oyster beds 

 so seriously infected with typhoid. It was estimated that the sewage of 

 97 cities of more than 50,000 inhabitants, treated by the Miles process, 

 would yield per year as follows (Oil Paint and Drug Reporter, 1918): 



Tons 



Fertilizer 97,393,680 



Ammonia 4,869,684 



Grease 23,780,684 



Glycerine 1,289,039 



Under such a plan the cities of Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Bellingham, 

 Spokane and many smaller towns in Washington could make use of 

 the process. 



The residual effluent of the Miles Process is from 35 to 50 parts per 

 million acid. Either sulphuric or sulphurous acid may be used. The 

 question as to which is most dangerous or beneficial to fislieries and to 

 public health, and as to the condition which would be produced by the 

 introduction of this acid effluent as compared with the introduction of 

 raw sewage, all become of great importance. This is true because the 

 sewage disposal question, particularly the recovery of the nitrogen and 

 grease, is one of the most important confronting modern civilization.^ So 

 that whether or not the Miles Process is introduced, it is reasonable to 



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