Texas Wastewater Class B Practice Exam

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What are Volatile Solids (VSS) determined by?

The size of the particles
Burning the residue from the Total Solids determination
Filtering and measuring residuals
Settling time in a sedimentation basin

The correct answer is: Burning the residue from the Total Solids determination

The determination of Volatile Solids (VSS) involves burning the residue obtained from the Total Solids analysis. This process includes taking a sample after the total solids have been measured, then igniting it at a high temperature, typically around 550 degrees Celsius. During this combustion, the organic material in the solids is oxidized and dissipated as gas, leaving behind only the fixed, inorganic components. The difference in weight before and after the incineration provides the amount of volatile solids present in the sample. The other options do not accurately describe the method for determining VSS. The size of the particles, for example, is related to physical characteristics of the sample but does not determine volatile solids. Likewise, filtering and measuring residuals pertains more to different analytical procedures, and settling time in a sedimentation basin has to do with how solids settle in wastewater treatments rather than a measurement of volatile solids.