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To date, the majority of detergents have been phosphate‐based. Dumped into the nation's waterways, they present problems not only in the way of eutrophioation, but in a way that can also bother the water‐treatment‐plant operator. For example, phosphates can interfere with coagulation procedures. After some introduction concerning the nature and origin of detergents, the authors review the phosphate situation as it relates to potable water.
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Harris et al. (1971) studied this question.
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