Tennessee Wastewater Operator Practice Exam

What is used when conducting the VSS test?

1. Glass fiber filter

2. Plastic membrane filter

3. Metallic mesh filter

4. Cellulose acetate filter

The correct answer is: Glass fiber filter

The VSS test, or Volatile Suspended Solids test, is an important procedure used in wastewater treatment processes to assess the amount of organic matter present in the solid waste. The test involves filtering a sample of mixed liquor using a specific type of filter. Using a glass fiber filter is crucial for this test due to its ability to effectively capture fine solids without significant retention of volatile components. Glass fiber filters have high flow rates and low ash content, meaning they do not contribute additional solids that could skew the results of the test. This ensures that the values obtained from the VSS test accurately reflect the volatile solids in the sample. The characteristics of glass fiber improve both the efficiency and accuracy of the testing procedure, making it the preferred choice for determining volatile suspended solids in wastewater analysis. Alternative filter types, such as plastic membrane or metallic mesh, may not provide the same level of efficiency or may alter the results due to their material properties. Cellulose acetate filters could interact with the sample and potentially retain volatile constituents, which would lead to an overestimation of VSS. Therefore, the glass fiber filter stands out as the appropriate selection for conducting the VSS test effectively.