ABSTRACT
Four possible routes exist for finish materials to enter the ecosystem, especially the aquatic segment of that system. These are through an unintentional spill or discharge during the synthetic fiber manufacturing process, during removal of finishes at a textile processing plant, from discarded yarn or fabric in land fills, or from carpet cleaning and subsequent disposal of the wastewater. The average annual rainfall on the conterminous United States is about 30 inches, which is equivalent to a daily precipitation of 4,200 billion gallons of water. The amount of dissolved oxygen (DO) in water is an important parameter of water quality. The addition of large quantities of organic matter to a natural water source results in a high rate of biochemical oxidation by the microflora that are present and ultimately in a deficiency in DO. Biochemical oxygen demand is usually exerted by dissolved and colloidal organic matter, and imposes a load on the biological units of the waste treatment plants.
