THE EFFECTS OF POLLUTE WATERS ON FISH LIFE 

 SESSIONAL PAPER No. 22a 



15 



APPENDICES. 



App. No. 1. Report on waste water from gas works, by Frank T. Shutt, M. A. 

 App. No. 2. Report on waste water from pulp mills, by Frank T. Shutt, M. A. 

 App. No. 3. Report on waste water from nail works, by J. C. Murray, B. A. 



APPENDICES TO DR. KNiaHT'S REPORT ON THE EFFECTS OF 

 POLLUTED WATERS ON FISH LIFE. 



App. No. 1, 



Centra-l Experimental Farm, 



Ottawa, October 30, 1900. 



Heport on Waste Water from Gas Works : Specific Gravity, 1-00123 at 15° C. 



As received, this water was turbid, of a decidedly dirty, yellowish brown tint, and 

 smelled strongly of tar and sulphuretted hydrogen. It showed a decidedly alkaline 

 reaction when tested with litmus. On standing for some time (from a week to ten 

 days), the water deposited a certain amount of tarry material and lost all odour of 

 sulphuretted hydrogen. 



With suitable treatment ' gas liquor ' can be made a profitable source of ammonium 

 salts. Until recent years this by-product or rather waste product, in the manufacture 

 of coal gas, has proved a positive nuisance, danger and expense, for it not only pollutes 

 streams into which it may be run, but also chokes up by the tar it deposits, the pipes 

 and channel ways that conduct it away, make their constant clearing a matter of neces- 

 sity. Now, practically all the ammonia of commerce is manufactured from it, for, as 

 already pointed out, it is highly charged with salts of ammonia, especially the sulphate. 

 Aniline dyes are also prepared from the tar it contains. 



The probabilities are that if this waste water had been examined shortly after 

 collection and a distillation made in the presence of an alkali, figures would have been 

 obtained showing a considerable amount of ammonia and ammonium salts. As the 

 sample, however had been collected some weeks before reaching the laboratories, and 

 consequently the greater part of the free ammonia had escaped, this determination was 

 not made. 



By the method of analysis usually undertaken with potable waters, the following 

 data were obtained : — 



Parts per Million, 



Free ammonia . 677-5 + x 



Albuminoid and combined ammonia 364-5 + x 



Nitrogen obtained as in determination of nitrates. , . . 1,644 6 + x 



It has been remarked that this waste water contained, when received, a consider- 

 able quantity of sulphuretted hydrogen. This was not separately determined, but all 

 sulphur compounds, after the necessary treatment of the liquor, estimated as sulphuric 

 acid : — 



Parts per Million. Grains per Gallon. 

 Sulphuric acid (SOg) representing all sul- 

 phur compounds 1,043-7 73 06 



