Theory and Practice of Water and Wastewater Treatment (Paperback)

by Ronald L. Droste (Author) "A fundamental substance that cannot be further decomposed by ordinary chemical means is an element..." (more)
Key Phrases: American Water Works Association, Water Research, Water Pollution Control Federation (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Solutions Manual available. -- The publisher, John Wiley & Sons

Product Description
This book details the technologies used in water and wastewater management today, including standard practice and state of the art. Its main focus is on the mechanics of processes to treat water or wastewater.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 816 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (August 28, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471124443
• ISBN-13: 978-0471124443
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #449,463 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #6 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Engineering > Civil > Environmental > Sanitary & Municipal
  #46 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Engineering > Civil > Environmental > Water Quality & Treatment
  #50 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Engineering > Civil > Environmental > Solid Waste Management

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good organization, poor mathematics, August 1, 1999

By A Customer

This book is better organized than most other texts in this field. The selection of topics is generally good. Coverage of many topics is quite satisfactory. Ion exchange and membrane processes, however, are not explained well.

While descriptive subjects (e.g.microbiology, diseases,etc) and those subjects that do not require advanced mathematics are well explained, there are some serious blunders in the coverage of more mathematical topics.

For example, the author employs mathematical language and notation in trying to "prove" or "derive" certain equations in Chapter 10 (pp. 255 to 261). The mathematics used, however, is sloppy and therefore the presentation is more confusing than convincing. The analysis covering Equations 10.37 to 10.40 shows that the author does not have an understanding of the substantial (material) derivative of fluid mechanics and transport phenomona.

There are some serious mistakes in the treatment of fixed bed adsorber systems (pp.490-498). For example, equations 15.51 and 15.65 are incorrect. There is also a mistake in Equation 15.57. There are other more fundamental mistakes. The author seems confused here. I advise readers to consult Weber or Benefield et al. to study this subject.

Despite the above criticism, this book's treatment of many topics is more comprehensive and satisfactory than that of many a textbook in this field. It is a valuable and wellcome addition to the textbook literature. In preparing the second edition, however, the author should have the chapter on mass balances and reaction kinetics completely rewritten (possibly by someone from the chemical engineering faculty).

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good organization, poor mathematics, August 1, 1999

By A Customer

This book is better organized than most other texts in this field. The selection of topics is generally good. Coverage of many topics is quite satisfactory. Ion exchange and membrane processes, however, are not explained well.

While descriptive subjects (e.g.microbiology, diseases,etc) and those subjects that do not require advanced mathematics are well explained, there are some serious blunders in the coverage of more mathematical topics.

For example, the author employs mathematical language and notation in trying to "prove" or "derive" certain equations in Chapter 10 (pp. 255 to 261). The mathematics used, however, is sloppy and therefore the presentation is more confusing than convincing. The analysis covering Equations 10.37 to 10.40 shows that the author does not have an understanding of the substantial (material) derivative of fluid mechanics and transport phenomona.

There are some serious mistakes in the treatment of fixed bed adsorber systems (pp.490-498). For example, equations 15.51 and 15.65 are incorrect. There is also a mistake in Equation 15.57. There are other more fundamental mistakes. The author seems confused here. I advise readers to consult Weber or Benefield et al. to study this subject.

Despite the above criticism, this book's treatment of many topics is more comprehensive and satisfactory than that of many a textbook in this field. It is a valuable and wellcome addition to the textbook literature. In preparing the second edition, however, the author should have the chapter on mass balances and reaction kinetics completely rewritten (possibly by someone from the chemical engineering faculty).

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to understand without neglecting theory, April 9, 1998

By A Customer

Droste provides a very good overview with good description of the theoretical background. I find this book most helpful for more unusual problems in (water and) wastewater treatment. Very good value: covers almost everything you need to know in one book.