CHE 3212 (5L)-2022

Treatment of water for domestic use & treatment

methods for industrial effluents and emissions
Content
Treatment of water for domestic uses

Treatment methods for industrial waste water

Water quality standards

Case study (Textile dyeing wastewater treatment process)

Case study (tannery /Food processing effluents)

Tutorial

Industrial visit

Prof. S. Wanniarachchi Department of Chemistry, University of Ruhuna

 Learning outcomes
At the end of the lecture series you should be able to :

• List basic treatment steps to produce potable water

• List water quality parameters

• Describe the major steps in wastewater treatment

• Analyze wastewater samples

• Decide whether a given treated wastewater sample is

suitable for discharge

• Design treatment systems to treat tannery, textile and food

processing waste
 WHO Definition
WHO defines safe drinking water as:
water that “does not represent any significant risk to
health over the lifetime of consumption, including
different sensitivities that may occur between life
stages.”
Categories of Contaminants

Chemicals

Microbiological

Physical

4
 Categories of Contaminants

Chemicals
Microbiological  Organic
Bacteria  Inorganic
Virus  pH
Protozoa
Helminths

Physical
 Turbidity
 Colour
 Odour
 Taste

2008-08 5
 Potable water

Water to be supplied for public use must be potable i.e.,

satisfactory for drinking purposes

 Drinking water should, preferably, be obtained from a

source free from pollution.

The raw water normally available from surface water

sources is not directly suitable for drinking purposes.

 The objective of water treatment is to produce safe and

potable drinking water.
 Reasons for treatment
 Remove smells and odors, Dissolved gases
(ammonia, hydrogen sulphide)
 Kill germs, pathogens, bacteria and viruses
 Water hardness
 Methods for purification

• Simplest is boiling
• Filtration
• Chlorination
• Ozone
• UV treatment
• Distillation
Basic steps : Making potable water

 Remove floating objects

 Mixing
 Aeration
 Coagulation
 Filtration
 Disinfection
 storage
 Delivery
 Preliminary treatment
• Remove large objects
• Ex: sticks, floating materials
• Raked screen
• Clog equipment in treatment plant

Mixing: To equalize untreated water taken from

different places
 Aeration
Gravity Aerators (Cascades):

In gravity aerators, water is allowed to fall by gravity such

that a large area of water is exposed to atmosphere

Spray aerators:
Use special nozzles to produce a fine spray.

Injection or Diffused Aerators:

It consists of a tank with perforated pipes, tubes or

diffuser plates, fixed at the bottom to release fine air
bubbles from compressor unit
 Coagulation
The typical chemicals used in coagulation:
- Al2(SO4)·14H2O (alum)
- FeCl3

Characteristics of Coagulants

• Electric charge of the ion or molecule used as coagulant:

the larger the charge the more effective the coagulant will
be
• Size of the ion or molecule used as coagulant: the larger
the size of the molecule the more effective the coagulant
will be.
 Aluminum and Iron Salts as Coagulants

· Al2(SO4)3·14H2O or Al2(SO4)3·18H2O (alum)

· FeCl3

· FeCl3 (with lime)

· Fe2(SO4)3 (with lime)

· FeSO4·7H2O (with lime)

 Hydrolysis of Ferric Chloride in Water

The addition of ferric chloride to a wastewater produces

the hydrolysis of the ferric chloride with the consequent
formation of insoluble ferric hydroxide, according to the
reaction:

The insoluble ferric hydroxide forms a gelatinous

sweeping floc precipitate responsible for colloid removal.

Note that if the wastewater is not buffered the resulting

H+ generation (pH decrease) will prevent the reaction
from proceeding any further.
 POLYALUMINIUM COAGULANTS

These compounds have the general formula

(Aln(OH)mCl(3n-m))x and have a polymeric structure, totally
soluble in water.

 polyaluminium chloride (PACl, n=2 and m=3)

 aluminium chlorohydrate (ACH, n=2 and m=5)

 ADVANTAGES OF POLYALUMINIUM COAGULANTS
basicity
 ratio of hydroxyl to aluminium ions in the hydrated
complex

Basicity gives a general idea of the amount or degree of

polynuclear material in the PAC

 They are effective over a broader pH range compared to

alum

 reduced concentration of sulphate added to the treated

water
Less hydrogen sulphide production
 Additional Benefits of Coagulation

· Coagulants not only produces coagulation of colloids but

also typically results in the precipitation of soluble
compounds, such as phosphates.

· coagulation can also produce the removal of particles

larger that colloidal particles due to the entrapment of
such particles in the flocs formed during coagulation
 Disinfection

Chlorine treatment is relatively cheap, readily available

and provides prolonged disinfecting action.

Chlorination has specific toxic effect and causes death

and disintegration of some of the algae.
Dosage :

Effective chlorine dose should be such that sufficient

chlorine is there to react with organic matter, ammonia,
iron, manganese and other reducing substances in water
and at the same time leave sufficient chlorine to act as
algaecide.

Dose required for this purpose may be over 5 mg/L.

Post chlorination dose can be adjusted to obtain

minimum 0.2 mg/L residual chlorine in potable water at
consumer end.
 Disinfection of Microbes in Water:

To prevent and control of waterborne microbial disease.

• Free chlorine: HOCl (hypochlorous) acid and OCl-

(hypochlorite ion)

• Chloramines: mostly NH2Cl: weak oxidant

• ozone, O3 , strong oxidant; provides no residual (too
volatile and reactive)

• UV radiation
Minerals like iron and manganese generally make their
way into ground water from sand stone and other rocks.

 dissolve in water and transformed into their soluble

bicarbonates.

lead to the formation of brown coloured oxides of iron

and manganese giving characteristic metallic taste and
colour from brownish to blackish.

 It also stains plumbing fixtures and laundered material.

The most common method for iron removal from water is
oxidation followed by sedimentation and filtration.

(a) Oxidation by Aeration

involves the oxidation of bivalent iron with oxygen
present in air. Aeration also removes carbon dioxide
and taste and odour producing substances.

(b) Oxidation by Chlorination

Oxidation of iron can be inhibited possibly due to binding of ferrous
iron with organic substances, ammonia and other reducing agents.
Chlorination can bring about oxidation of organic matter and other
reducing agents in such conditions, which facilitates ferrous iron
oxidation.
Ozone Plus UV Light

Ozone can be used in combination with ultraviolet light

in some cases, produces more rapid and more
complete oxidation of undesirable organic matter than
with either ozone or ultraviolet light alone.

Organic matter + ozone + UV light →

C02 + H2O + O2
 Water Softening and Microbe Reductions

• “Hard" Water: contains excessive amounts of calcium

and magnesium ions
– iron and manganese can also contribute to
hardness.
• Hardness ions are removed by adding lime (CaO) and
sometimes soda ash (Na2CO3) to precipitate them as
carbonates, hydroxides and oxides.

• This process, called softening, is basically a type of

coagulation-flocculation process.
 Hardness
• Represents the total concentration of Ca2+ and
Mg2+ ions and reported as CaCO3
• There may be some contribution from other
polyvalent ions
• Impacts the taste of water
• Hard water requires more soap to produce form
• Surface raw water is softer than ground water
 WATER SOFTENING

• removal of hardness (water softening)

Primarily ions of Ca, Mg, plus Fe, Mn, Al

• How is Softening done?...

Precipitation of Ca and Mg, or

Ion exchange of Ca / Mg with ion such as Na
 LIME - SODA ASH SOFTENING

• Addition of lime, Ca(OH)2, & soda ash, Na2CO3

causes precipitation of Ca, Mg
• Lime often added as CaO
CaO + H20 --> Ca(OH)2
 Reactions

CO2 + Ca(OH)2 --> CaCO3 + H2O

Ca(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2 --> 2 CaCO3 + 2 H2O

Mg(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2 --> CaCO3 + MgCO3 + 2H2O
Mg(CO3) + Ca(OH)2 --> Mg(OH)2 + CaCO3
MgSO4 + Ca(OH)2 --> Mg(OH)2 + CaSO4

MgCl2 + Ca(OH)2 --> Mg(OH)2 + CaCl2

CaSO4 + Na2CO3 --> CaCO3 + Na2SO4
CaCl2 + Na2CO3 --> CaCO3 + 2NaCl
Applications of ion exchange in water &
wastewater

• Ca, Mg (hardness removal) exchange with Na or H.

• Fe, Mn removal from groundwater.
• Recovery of valuable waste products Ag, Au, U
• Demineralization (exchange all cations for H all anions
for OH)
• Removal of NO3, NH4, PO4 (nutrient removal).
 What is domestic Wastewater?

Compare industrial wastewater with domestic sewage

Domestic sewage is wastewater discharged from sanitary

conveniences in residential, office, commercial, factories and
various institutional properties

It is a complex mixture containing primarily water (approximately

99%) together with organic and inorganic constituents

Domestic sewage, since it contains human wastes, also contains

large numbers of micro-organisms and some of these
can be pathogenic
 Industrial wastewaters
Industrial (including agro-industrial) wastewaters have very varied
compositions depending on the type of industry and materials
processed

Some of these wastewaters can be organically very strong, easily

biodegradable, largely inorganic, or potentially inhibitory

TSS, BOD5 and COD values may be in the tens of thousands mg L−1

Unlike sewage, pH values well beyond the range of 6–9 are also
frequently encountered
 Why is it Necessary to Treat Industrial Wastewater

Freshwater shortages
declining water quality in freshwater sources already in use

This declining water quality is primarily due to pollution

Water Quality --Physical effects

These include impact on clarity of the water and interference
to oxygen dissolution in it.
Oxidation and residual dissolved oxygen
The depletion of free oxygen would affect the survival of aerobic
organisms

Q) What is the typical DO level in water?

Industrial waste water -- Important Considerations

(i) biodegradability;
(ii) strength;
(ii) volumes;
(iv) variations and;
(v) special characteristics which may lead to operational
difficulties

For an industrial wastewater to be successfully treated by

biological means it should have quantities of organics

The quantity of organics in a wastewater is indicated by the

wastewater’s BOD5 and COD
 COD:BOD5 ratio
The difference between the COD and BOD values would provide an
indication of the quantity of non-biologically degradable organics.

The COD:BOD5 ratio can provide an indication of how amenable a

wastewater is to biological treatment

Since the COD value would always be larger than the BOD5 value in
an industrial wastewater, the COD:BOD5 ratio should always be
greater than 1

Wastewaters with COD:BOD5 ratios of 3 or lower can usually be

successfully treated with biological processes

COD:BOD5 ratios of 3 or lower are encountered in many of the

agricultural and agro-industrial wastewaters
Extreme COD:BOD5 ratios may be found in some chemical
wastewaters such those arising from dyestuff manufacturing

Ex) A wastewater COD of 4400 mg L−1 but a BOD5 of only 55 mg L−1.

Which treatment method?

biological treatment would unlikely to be successful in

removing sufficient quantities of the organics so as to meet the
discharge limits
 Water pollution
• Natural water is not pure

• Organics, inorganics, gases, get dissolved in

water

• Water carries surface pollutants

• Dissolves various salts and become rich in

TDS

• Therefore adequate treatment is needed

 Categories of pollutants
• Inorganic pollutants

Acids, metals, ammonia, chlorine, H2S, anions

• Organic Pollutants

Oil and grease, carbohydrates, detergents, dyes,

• Radioactive waste

• Gaseous pollutants

• e waste
 Waste treatment

Physical methods

Screening
Sedimentation
Flotation
Filtration
Mixing
Drying
Incineration
Osmosis
Adsorption
Chemical methods

Coagulation
Softening
Ion exchange
Oxidation
pH correction
Disinfection

Biological Methods

Aerobic and anaerobic digestion

Arranging all of them in a logical sequence

How to design full - scale plant ??

Flow measurement
sample collection and characterization
laboratory scale models
pilot plant

Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP)

Disposal
Solids residues , liquid effluents, gaseous emissions should be
adequately treated.
 On site Measurements

• pH
• Temperature
• Color
• Turbidity
• Conductivity
• Dissolved oxygen
• Solids
 Screening

• To remove
large suspended and floating solids
Rags and pieces of cloths from textile industry
fine fibers from woollen mills
leather trimmings from leather processing
industry
fruit peelings

Screens may be coarse, medium or fine depending on

the clear space between bars
 Sedimentation and Flotation
• Removal of finely suspended and settleable solids by plain
sedimentation

• Chemically aided sedimentation to remove colloidal solids

Flotation is the negative sedimentation

Used to remove particles lighter than water
Textile Industry
Waste contains:

Loose dirt- Burned as fuel in the mill’s boiler or sold to

use as filling materials in quilts, to produce methane gas

Starch paste may be present in wastewater

This increases BOD

BOD can be reduced by scraping the vessel containing

the starch paste and reusing.
 Dyeing and printing
• Chemicals are designed to impart fast color and non fading
designs

• Wastewater quality is highly variable

• Highly colored, high COD

Characteristics of textile wastewater.
 Reuse and Recycling

• Use hot water and reduce the number of washes

• Use countercurrent washing method
• Good housekeeping practices
• Recover exhausted dye bath contents and reuse
• This saves water and chemicals
Good housekeeping Practices
 The Textile industry:
use high volume of water throughout its operation
produce large quantities of wastewaters
is very diverse
broad manufacturing sector
main pollution come from dyeing and finishing processes (require the
input of a wide range of chemicals and dyestuffs – organic compounds of
complex structure)

Major pollutants are:

high suspended solids
heat
colour
acidity or alkalinity
other soluble substances
 Wastewater of textile Industry
The common characteristics of textile wastewater are:

 high chemical oxygen demand (COD)

 high biological oxygen demand (BOD)
 high temperature
 high pH
 solid materials
 phenol, sulphure and the colours caused by different dyes

Substances which need to be removed from textile wastewater

are mainly COD, BOD, nitrogen, heavy metals and dystuffs

Pollutants of textile industry:

natural impurity in fibers

chemical materials that are used in processes
 Wastewater of Textile industry
very diverse sector in terms of raw materials, processes, products and
equipment and has very complicated industrial chain
Main pollution came from dyeing and finishing processes

These processes require a wide range of chemicals and dyestuffs, which are
generally organic compounds of complex structure
Textile wastewater creates problems due to their high volume
Wastewater in different forms and volumes since textile industry has many
subdivisions.
 Purification of Textile Wastewater
It is necessary to treat effluent or waste before discharging

water treatment is used to:

improve water quality

remove microorganisms
reduce the level of toxic substances

The treatment procedure are generally divided into three groups:

PRIMARY TREATMENT (mechanical treatment)
SECONDARY TREATMENT (biological treatment)
TERTIARY TREATMENT (advanced biological or chemical
treatment)
 Primary Treatment - Mechanical treatment
Suspended solids and floating material is removed
physical and/or chemical treatment

Sedimentation

 the suspended and colloidal impurities are separated in

sedimentation tank by gravitation

 the main principle: allow water to rest or flow at a very slow

velocity - heavier particles settle down due to gravity

 settling of particles depend on velocity of flow, size, shape

and specific gravity of particles and viscosity of liquid

 the velocity of water decreased by increasing the length of

flow
 Primary Treatment
Coagulation/Floculattion

 sedimentation is not sufficient to remove all the suspended

matter
 coagulation is used to remove colloidal particles from water

 coagulation - suspended particles are agglomerated and form

insoluble metal hydroxide known as flocks

 coagulation: is the destabilization of colloidal particles

brought about by the addition of a chemical reagent called as
coagulant

 floculattion: is the agglomeration of particles into microfloc

and after into bulky floccules which can be settled
 Primary Treatment

Filtration

 to remove colloidal and suspended matter remaining after sedimentation

 the water pass through thick layer of sand or porous material which retain
coarse impurities on its surface and in pores
 does not remove dissolved solids
Secondary Treatment - biological treatment

 microorganism play important role for the treatment of

effluent

 microorganism decompose the organic waste

 classified into aerobic and anaerobic treatment

AEROBIC TREATMENT:

 carried out by microorganism in the presence of

oxygen

ANAEROBIC TREATMENT:
 carried out by aerobes in the absence of oxygen
Aerobic Digestion Activated sludge process
 sewage from sedimentation tank enter into aeration tank
 active sludge is mixed for about 4 to 8 hours
 the microorganisms oxidize organic matter in the presence of
abundant quantity of oxygen in the aeration tank
 sewage is settle in secondary sedimentation tank
 some portion of activated sludge is recalculated into the aeration
tank
 contain a large number of aerobic bacteria and other
microorganisms
 Activated sludge process

 Uses bacteria to digest the remaining pollutants

 This is accomplished by forcefully mixing the

wastewater with bacteria and oxygen. The oxygen
helps the bacteria to digest the pollutants faster

 The water is then taken to settling tanks where the

sludge again settles, leaving the water 90 to 95
percent free of pollutants
 Activated sludge

• mixed community of microorganisms

• Both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria may exist
• Biological floc is formed
5 physical components of activated sludge
process
• aeration tank
– oxygen is introduced into the system
• aeration source
– ensure that adequate oxygen is fed into the tank
– provided pure oxygen or compressed air

• secondary clarifiers
– activated-sludge solids separate from the surrounding
wastewater

• Activated sludge outflow line

– Pump activated sludge back to the aeration tank
• Effluent outflow line
– discharged effluent into bay or tertiary treatment plant
 Trickling filters (TF) - biotowers
 are used to remove organic matter from wastewater
 an aerobic treatment system

 enable organic material in the wastewater to be adsorbed by a

population of microorganisms attached to the medium as a
biological film

 the wastewater flows over the medium - microorganisms form a

film - the organic material is degraded by the aerobic
microorganisms in the outer part of the layer
 Aerated pond - lagoon
 wastewater is purified by action of algae and aerobic bacteria
 organic matter are decomposed by bacteria and are consumed by algae
 oxygen is released during the process of photosynthesis
 aerobic bacteria get O2 from atmosphere
 Anaerobic treatment
 biological agents are used to remove the contaminant from
water in the absence of oxygen
 microorganisms break down biodegradable material present
 huge sealed tanks

 microorganisms breakdown the

sludge and convert it to organic
acids, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and
ammonia
 in the later stages the sludge remains
are converted to biogas by
methanogen
 biological anaerobic treatment is a
very low energy process
 Bioremediation
 process that uses microorganisms, fungi, green plants or their
enzymes to return the natural environment altered by
contaminants to its original condition
 types of bioremediation:
 In situ – at the site
 Ex situ – away from the site

 advantages:
 low cost
 minimal site disruption
 simultaneous treatment of contaminated water and
soil
 disadvantages:
 time consuming
 seasonal variation
 problematic addition of additives
 Tertiary Treatment
advanced biological or chemical treatment to decrease the content of
nitrogen and phosphorous compound in the effluent
Disinfection
Water is disinfected to kill any pathogens which pass through the
filters and to provide a residual dose of disinfectant to kill or
inactivate potentially harmful microorganisms in the storage and
distribution systems

Chlorine disinfection

 the most common disinfection method

 chlorine – a strong oxidant - rapidly kills many harmful

microorganisms danger of a release toxic gases - problem is avoided
by the use of sodium hypochlorite
Chlorine dioxide disinfection

 a faster acting disinfectant than elemental chlorine

 chlorine dioxide is supplied as an aqueous solution and added to

water to avoid gas handling problems

 a powerful disinfectant, excellent for removing odours, destroys

organic matter, viruses and spores
 very explosive so cannot be stored
Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)
Convert pollutants to CO2, H2O, and mineral acids such as HCl

most AOPs are ambient-temperature processes

hydroxyl free radical (OH.) – in aqueous solution is a very effective

oxidizing agent
From AOPs the most common are:

 Fenton process
 Ozone oxidation
 Oxidation by UV rays

Fenton process

based on oxidation by Fenton regaens, which is an oxidative

mixture of hydrogen peroxide and Fe2+ ions

effectiveness depends on the pH, temperature and the ratio of the

amount of Fe2 + ions and hydrogen peroxide

Advantages: no formation of chlorinated organic by-products, both

reactants are relatively inexpensive, simple to use and non-toxic
Ozone oxidation
 Ozone: strong oxidizing agent, unstable to store (has to be made as it isused)
 it is produced by passing an electrical discharge through air which is then bubbled
through the water
 powerful oxidizing agent which is toxic to most waterborne organisms
 some of the advantages include the production of fewer dangerous by-products (in
comparison to chlorination) and the lack of taste and odour produced by ozonisation

Oxidation by UV rays
 very effective at inactivating cysts
 UV lights disinfection effectiveness decreases as turbidity increases
 the water is passed through banks of cylindrical,quartz-jacketed fluorescent bulbs
 disadvantages: some dissolved materials (iron and some organic compounds) can absorb
the light, expensive
 Tannery wastewater characteristics

An example of average total pollution load – concentration in

combined raw effluent conventional process, water
consumption: 45 m3/tonne
 Basic steps:

• Screening
• Fine screening
• Equalization and sulphide oxidation
• Cr removing
• Chemical treatment (coagulation, flocculation)
• Settling
• Sludge dewatering
 sulphide elimination (4 ppb)

Extended exposure to a few hundred ppm can

cause unconsciousness and death.

• neutralization of effluents , recovery of sulphides and

reuse

• precipitation of sulphides by iron salts

• oxidation by oxidizers , oxidation by air oxygen

• oxidation by air oxygen using catalyst

• biological detoxification of sulphides

sulphide elimination
 Environmental impact of chromium

Chromium, extensively used in tanning process, is

carcinogenic

• Cr (VI) compounds are responsible for the majority of

the health problems associated with all chromium
compounds.

• Normally, during the tanning process only Cr (III) salts

are used. Nevertheless, under certain conditions the Cr
(III) can be transformed into Cr (VI).

The WHO standard for the acceptable amount of

Chromium in drinking water is 0.05 mg/L.
•Chromium chlorides and sulphates are the main pollutants
• May require acclimatization

•treatment methods: precipitation of chromium containing

effluents with alkalis.

•Common precipitation agents include MgO, Ca(OH)2,

NaOH and others.

Cr3+ + 3OH- → Cr(OH)3

After settling, thickening and dewatering of the chromium
containing sludge, the filter cake is dissolved in sulphuric
acid.

After modifying the basicity, the basic chromium sulphate

solution can be reused for tanning by recycling into the
tanning process and by replacing 20-35% of the "fresh"
added chromium tanning salt.

For more complex floats, the liquor can be reprecipitated

with calcium hydroxide and flocculates. The separated
liquid phase can be discharged into the effluent but
remaining chromium sludge has to be disposed safely.
The issue of bad odour

•Odours associated with wastewater are difficult to

quantify because they are caused by a wide variety of
compounds

•Local geographic and climatic conditions such as wind

direction, land shape, air humidity, ground and air
temperature, etc. play an important role
 the main sources of bad smell are:

equalization and sulphide oxidation;

• sludge thickening;
• biological aeration;
• in-plant storage of dewatered sludge;
• (temporary) sludge disposal site.

non disassociated H2S is present only at pH below 9. Thus,

it is crucial to control pH and, if needed, alkalis like NaOH
or lime are added to achieve pH > 9.5-10.

Nowadays, in some places nearly the entire ETP is covered

and the air is purified
 Dairy Waste

• Raw milk is processed

• Receiving
• Pasteurization
• Bottling
• Condensing
• Dry milk manufacturing
• Cheese and Butter making
Wastewater treatment and characteristics

• Batch process

• Generates 4-8 liters of wastewater per 1L

of milk

• Biological treatment process

 Wastewater characteristics

• high concentrations of proteins, carbohydrates, and

lipids
• High concentrations of suspended solids
• high biological oxygen demand (BOD)
• Chemical oxygen demand (COD)
• high nitrogen concentrations
• high suspended oil and/or grease
• large variations in pH
Dairy wastewater may be divided into three major
categories

Processing waters (water used in the cooling and heating

processes)
- free of pollutants
Cleaning wastewaters - from the cleaning of equipment
that has been in contact with milk or milk products

Sanitary wastewater
 Use caustic soda, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, and
sodium hypochlorite, phosphoric acid and other
phosphorus-containing detergents

Treatment of Dairy Processing Wastewaters

As BOD content is really high it is expected that dairy wastewaters
will have relatively high organic loads

• lactose, fats, and proteins

• high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus

The COD and BOD are 35,000–68,000 mg/L and 30,000–60,000

mg/L,

lactose being responsible for 90% of the COD and BOD contribution
 TREATMENT OPTIONS
Physical Screening
• Remove large particles or debris that may cause damage to
pumps and downstream clogging

• Prevent a further increase in the COD concentration as a result

of the solid solubilization

• Measures should be taken to prevent the settling of coarse

matter in the wastewater before it is screened

• Ratio of depth to width of the approach channel to the screen

should be 1 : 2

• Velocity of the water should not be less than 0.6 m/sec.

• Screened material disposed of at a landfill site
pH Control

large variations exist in wastewater pH from different dairy

factories

• The optimum pH range for biological treatment plants is

between 6.5 and 8.5

• Extreme pH values will negatively effect the microbial

community

• increased corrosion of pipes will occur at pH values below 6.5

and above 10

• The most commonly used chemicals are H2SO4, HNO3, NaOH,

CO2, or lime
Flow and Composition Balancing
Dairy wastewaters can vary greatly with respect to
volume, strength, temperature, pH, and nutrient levels,

flow and composition balancing is a prime requirement

balance tanks should be adequately mixed using
mechanical aerators.
Fats, Oil, and Grease Removal
Factories processing whole milk, cheese and butter plants, whey
separation factories, and milk bottling plants, experience the most
severe problems with FOG.

flow balancing should precede FOG removal.

Gravity Traps

• Wastewater flows through a series of cells, and the

FOG mass, which usually floats on top, is removed by
retention within the cells

• Drawbacks include frequent monitoring and cleaning

to prevent FOG buildup

Air Flotation and Dissolved Air Flotation

Enzymatic Hydrolysis of FOG

• Aerating at a pressure of about 400–600 kPa in a pressure
chamber, then introducing it into a flotation tank containing
untreated dairy processing wastewater.

• The dissolved air is converted to minute air bubbles under the

normal atmospheric pressure in the tank

• Heavy solids form sediment while the air bubbles attach to the
fat particles and the remaining suspended matter as they are
passed through the effluent

• The resulting scum is removed

• It should preferably not be mixed with sludge from biological

and chemical treatment processes since it is very difficult to
dewater
 Biological Treatment
Aerobic Biological Systems

This method depends on microorganisms grown in an oxygen-rich

environment to oxidize organics to carbon dioxide, water, and
cellular material.

Reliable and cost-effective in producing a high-quality effluent.

Start-up usually requires an acclimation period to allow the

development of a competitive microbial community.

Problems normally associated with aerobic processes include

foaming and poor solid–liquid separation.
 Rotating biological contactors

• Circular discs made of high-density plastic or other lightweight

material

• The discs, rotating at 1–3 rpm, are placed on a horizontal shaft

• Allows oxygen to be transferred from the atmosphere to the

exposed films.

• A biofilm develops on the disc surface, which facilitates the

oxidation of the organic components of the wastewater.
 The sequencing batch reactor (SBR)

Single-tank fill-and-draw unit that utilizes the same tank to

aerate, settle, withdraw effluent

After the tank is filled, the wastewater is mixed without aeration

to allow metabolism of the fermentable compounds.

This is followed by the aeration step, which enhances the

oxidation and biomass formation.

Sludge is then settled and the treated effluent is removed to

complete the cycle.
In areas where land is available, lagoons or ponds constitute one
of the least expensive methods of biological degradation

long retention times of up to 60 days

both aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms occur in addition to

photosynthesis and sedimentation.
 Anaerobic Biological Systems
Biological process performed by an active microbial consortium in
the absence of exogenous electron acceptors.

Up to 95% of the organic load in a waste stream can be converted

to biogas (methane and carbon dioxide)

Systems are generally seen as more economical for the biological

stabilization of dairy wastes

Do not have the high-energy requirements associated with aeration

in aerobic systems.
yields methane, which can be utilized as a heat or power source.

Less sludge is generated, thereby reducing problems associated

with sludge disposal.
 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
• EIA -process that predicting the potential impacts of
development activities on the natural and social
environment.

• suggesting measures to prevent or minimize negative

impacts and to enhance positive impacts

This process is required only for large scale development

projects or projects which are located in environmental
sensitive areas.
Environmental Protection Licence (EPL)
Some industries have to obtain an Environmental
Protection Licence
 The Environmental Protection License (EPL)
Is a regulatory tool under the provisions of the National
Environmental Act No: 47 of 1980 amended by Acts No 53 of 2000.

Industries and activities which required an EPL are listed in the

gazette notification No 1533/16 dated 25.01.2008.
Objectives of the Environmental Protection Licence (EPL)
•To prevent or minimize the release of discharges and
emissions into the environment
•To develop an approach to pollution control
•To provide guidance on pollution control for polluting
processes.
•To educate about new knowledge such as cleaner
production, waste minimization