Case Studies on Biological Treatment of Tannery Effluents in India

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative assessment of the cost and quality of treatment of tannery wastewater in India by two common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) constructed for two tannery clusters, at Jajmau (Kanpur) and at Unnao in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The Jajmau plant is upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) process-based, while the Unnao plant is activated sludge process (ASP)-based. Investigations indicated that the ASP-based plant was superior in all respects. Total annualized costs, including capital and operation and maintenance costs, for the UASB and ASP plants were Rs. 4.24 million/million liters per day (MLD) and Rs. 3.36 million/MLD, respectively. Land requirements for the two CETPs were 1.4 hectares/MLD and 0.95 hectares/MLD, respectively. Moreover, the treated UASB effluent had higher biochemical and chemical oxygen demand (BOD/COD) and considerable amounts of other undesirable constituents, like chromium (Cr) and sulfide, as compared with the ASP effluent, which had lower BOD/COD and negligible concentration of sulfide and Cr. Sludge production from the UASB-based plant was also higher at 1.4 t/day/MLD, in comparison to the sludge production of 0.8 t/day/MLD for the ASP-based plant. Also, the entire sludge produced in the UASB-based plant was Cr-contaminated and, hence, hazardous, while only a small fraction of the sludge produced in the ASP-based plant was similarly contaminated. The results of this study are at variance with the conventional wisdom of the superiority of anaerobic processes for tannery waste-water treatment in tropical developing countries like India.     

外循环式UASB反应器处理槟榔废水

在中温（35±2℃）条件下,利用外循环式UASB反应器处理中高有机浓度的槟榔加工废水,并着重探讨了水力停留时间（HRT）对厌氧消化的影响。研究表明,当反应器稳定运行,水力停留时间为1 d,进水COD浓度5 000 mg/L左右,容积负荷在2.53-5.25 kg COD/（m3·d）时,COD去除率在38%以上,出水COD〈3 000 mg/L,平均产气率为0.41 m3/kg COD;若水力停留时间延长至4 d,容积负荷为1.26-1.30 kg COD/（m3·d）,COD去除率可以达到79%,出水COD〈1 200 mg/L,出水可生化性下降,BOD5/COD平均为0.28,实验取得了良好的处理效果,为利用厌氧技术处理槟榔加工废水提供了设计依据。     

Influence of a three-phase separator configuration on the performance of an upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor treating wastewater from a fruit-canning factory.

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of a three-phase separator configuration on the performance of an upflow anaerobic sludge bed (USAB) treating wastewater from a fruit canning factory. The performances of two 30-L UASB reactors--one with a modified three-phase separator giving a spiral flow pattern and the other with a conventional configuration-were investigated in parallel. Wastewater, with a chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration between 2000 and 7000 mg/L, was obtained from a fruit-canning factory. Based on the effluent data of the first 100 operation days, the UASB with the three-phase separator giving spiral flow patterns yielded up to 25% lower biomass washout. It also showed better efficiencies in treating wastewater--up to 60% lower effluent COD, up to 20% higher COD percent removal, and up to 29% higher biogas production. This work presents evidence of an improvement on the conventional physical design of a UASB.     

Removal of organic compounds during treating printing and dyeing wastewater of different process units

Wastewater in Shaoxing wastewater treatment plant (SWWTP) is composed of more than 90% dyeing and printing wastewater with high pH and sulfate. Through a combination process of anaerobic acidogenic [hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 15h], aerobic (HRT of 20h) and flocculation-precipitation, the total COD removal efficiency was up to 91%. But COD removal efficiency in anaerobic acidogenic unit was only 4%. As a comparison, the COD removal efficiency was up to 35% in the pilot-scale upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor (HRT of 15h). GC-MS analysis showed that the response abundance of these wastewater samples decreased with their removal of COD. A main component of the raw influent was long-chain n-alkanes. The final effluent of SWWTP had only four types of alkanes. After anaerobic unit at SWWTP, the mass percentage of total alkanes to total organic compounds was slightly decreased while its categories increased. But in the UASB, alkanes categories could be removed by 75%. Caffeine as a chemical marker could be detected only in the effluent of the aerobic process. Quantitative analysis was given. These results demonstrated that GC-MS analysis could provide an insight to the measurement of organic compounds removal.     

两级UASB与好氧组合工艺处理城市生活垃圾渗滤液的启动研究

采用两级UASB与好氧组合工艺处理早期城市生活垃圾渗滤液.系统出水按不同比例回流到一级UASB中进行反硝化,同时进行产甲烷反应,有机物在二级UASB中被进一步降解,好氧池完成剩余有机物的去除和氨氮的硝化.启动阶段通过对原渗滤液不同比例的稀释,分5次逐步提高进水浓度,启动结束时完成了对原渗滤液的高效处理.在进水COD浓度从3000 mg/L提高到15000 mg/L,氨氮浓度从250 mg/L提高到1400 mg/L时,最终COD去除率稳定在92%左右,氨氮去除率可达99%以上,一级UASB中反硝化率接近100%,回流比为300%时系统总氮去除率为70%～80%.     

Treatment of food industry waste by bench-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket-anoxic-aerobic system.

An upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB)-anoxicaerobic system was used for treatment of tomato and bean processing wastewater. At various hydraulic retention times, ranging from 0.7 to 5 days, excellent removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), ammonia-nitrogen (NH4-N), and total Kjeldahl nitrogen was achieved with final effluent BOD/TSS/NH4N concentrations of less than 15/15/1 mg/L. Biogas yield in the UASB reactor varied from 0.33 to 0.44 m3/kgCODremoved. The kinetics of anaerobic treatment were investigated. The yield coefficient was 0.03 gVSS/gCOD; maximum specific growth rate was 0.24 day(-1); Monod half velocity constant was 135 mgCOD/L; and specific substrate utilization rate was 3.25 gCOD/gVSS x d. Nitrification and denitrification kinetics were studied in batch experiments, and the rates were comparable with those in the continuous flow system.     

Toxicity of leather tanning wastewater effluents in sea urchin early development and in marine microalgae

This study was designed to investigate the composition and the toxicity of leather tanning wastewater and conditioned sludge collected at the leather tanning wastewater treatment plant (CODISO) located in Solofra, Avellino (Southern Italy). Samples were analyzed for their conventional parameters (COD, TSS, chromium and ammonia) and for metal content. Effluent samples included raw wastewater, and samples collected following coagulation/flocculation process and biological treatment. A set of toxicity endpoints were tested using sea urchin and marine microalgal bioassays by evaluating acute embryotoxicity, developmental defects, changes in sperm fertilization success and transmissible damage from sperm to the offspring, and changes in algal growth rate. Dose-related toxicity to sea urchin embryogenesis and sperm fertilization success was exerted by effluent or sludge samples according to the following rank: conditioned sludge > coagulated effluent > or = raw influent > effluent from biological treatment. Offspring quality was not affected by sperm exposure to any wastewater or to sludge samples. Algal growth was inhibited by raw or coagulated effluent to a similar extent and, again, the effluent from the biological treatment resulted in a decreased toxicity. The results suggest that coagulated effluent and conditioned sludge result in higher toxicity than raw influent in sea urchin embryos and sperm, whereas the biological wastewater treatment of coagulated effluent, in both sea urchins and algae, cause a substantial improvement of wastewater quality. Hence a final biological wastewater treatment should be operated to minimize any environmental damage from tannery wastewater.     

UASB处理硫酸盐有机废水的启动

为了考察上流式厌氧污泥床反应器(UASB)处理含硫酸盐有机废水的特性,采用有效容积为10 L的UASB,研究了启动运行过程中COD和SO2-4降解情况、出水VFA和pH值、产气量及颗粒污泥比产甲烷活性(SMA)变化状况。结果表明,接种厌氧颗粒污泥,保持进水COD为1 500 mg/L,SO2-4浓度为100 mg/L,将HRT由24 h缩短至12 h以提高负荷,经历55 d成功启动了UASB反应器;当HRT为12 h,进水COD和SO2-4负荷为3.0 kg/(m3·d)和0.20 kg/(m3·d),COD和SO2-4的去除率分别达到80%和89%,出水VFA为3 mmol/L,产气量达9.5 L/d,颗粒污泥的SMA为86.4 mL/(g VSS·d)。     

Coagulant recovery from water treatment plant sludge and reuse in post-treatment of UASB reactor effluent treating municipal wastewater

In the present study, feasibility of recovering the coagulant from water treatment plant sludge with sulphuric acid and reusing it in post-treatment of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor effluent treating municipal wastewater were studied. The optimum conditions for coagulant recovery from water treatment plant sludge were investigated using response surface methodology (RSM). Sludge obtained from plants that use polyaluminium chloride (PACl) and alum coagulant was utilised for the study. Effect of three variables, pH, solid content and mixing time was studied using a Box–Behnken statistical experimental design. RSM model was developed based on the experimental aluminium recovery, and the response plots were developed. Results of the study showed significant effects of all the three variables and their interactions in the recovery process. The optimum aluminium recovery of 73.26 and 62.73 % from PACl sludge and alum sludge, respectively, was obtained at pH of 2.0, solid content of 0.5 % and mixing time of 30 min. The recovered coagulant solution had elevated concentrations of certain metals and chemical oxygen demand (COD) which raised concern about its reuse potential in water treatment. Hence, the coagulant recovered from PACl sludge was reused as coagulant for post-treatment of UASB reactor effluent treating municipal wastewater. The recovered coagulant gave 71 % COD, 80 % turbidity, 89 % phosphate, 77 % suspended solids and 99.5 % total coliform removal at 25 mg Al/L. Fresh PACl also gave similar performance but at higher dose of 40 mg Al/L. The results suggest that coagulant can be recovered from water treatment plant sludge and can be used to treat UASB reactor effluent treating municipal wastewater which can reduce the consumption of fresh coagulant in wastewater treatment.     

Advanced oxidation of a pulp mill bleaching wastewater.

The degradation, by several advanced oxidation reactions, of a pulp mill ECF bleaching effluent, was studied. The initial biodegradability of the organic matter present in the effluent, estimated as the BOD5/COD, was low (0.3). When the effluent was submitted to ozonation and to five different advanced oxidation systems (O3/UV, O3/UV/ZnO, O3/UV/TiO2, O2/UV/ZnO, O2/UV/TiO2), the biodegradability increase significantly. After five minutes of reaction, the O3/UV system appears as the most efficient in to transform the organic matter to more biodegradable forms. A similar effect was observed when the effluent was submitted to an activated sludge treatment. The COD, TOC and toxicity reduction correlated well with the biodegradability enhancement after AOPs treatments.     

常规组合工艺-稳定塘-湿地系统处理印染废水

针对工业园区印染企业产生的印染废水和生活污水,采用独特的"常规组合工艺与‘植物稳定塘-人工湿地系统’联合工艺"对其进行集中统一处理,并考察了运行效果。数据结果表明,系统出水COD、BOD5、SS、色度、NH3-N和TP平均分别为63.2 mg/L、13.8 mg/L、5.0 mg/L、49倍、0.2 mg/L和0.4 mg/L,出水水质达到国家污水综合排放一级标准(GB8978-1996)。该工艺运行稳定,可有效去除废水中的COD、SS和色度,去除率均在90%以上。按日均处理量4×104m3计算,此工艺每年将削减COD排放近30万t。     

Impact assessment of treated/untreated wastewater toxicants discharged by sewage treatment plants on health, agricultural, and environmental quality in the wastewater disposal area

Studies were undertaken to assess the impact of wastewater/sludge disposal (metals and pesticides) from sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Jajmau, Kanpur (5 MLD) and Dinapur, Varanasi (80 MLD), on health, agriculture and environmental quality in the receiving/application areas around Kanpur and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, India. The raw, treated and mixed treated urban wastewater samples were collected from the inlet and outlet points of the plants during peak (morning and evening) and non-peak (noon) hours. The impact of the treated wastewater toxicants (metals and pesticides) on the environmental quality of the disposal area was assessed in terms of their levels in different media samples viz., water, soil, crops, vegetation, and food grains. The data generated show elevated levels of metals and pesticides in all the environmental media, suggesting a definite adverse impact on the environmental quality of the disposal area. The critical levels of the heavy metals in the soil for agricultural crops are found to be much higher than those observed in the study areas receiving no effluents. The sludge from the STPs has both positive and negative impacts on agriculture as it is loaded with high levels of toxic heavy metals and pesticides, but also enriched with several useful ingredients such as N, P, and K providing fertilizer values. The sludge studied had cadmium, chromium and nickel levels above tolerable levels as prescribed for agricultural and lands application. Bio-monitoring of the metals and pesticides levels in the human blood and urine of the different population groups under study areas was undertaken. All the different approaches indicated a considerable risk and impact of heavy metals and pesticides on human health in the exposed areas receiving the wastewater from the STPs.     

Influence of hydraulic retention time in a two-phase upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor treating textile dyeing effluent using sago effluent as the co-substrate

Purpose  

Textile dyeing and sago industries are the most polluting industries in South India, especially in industrial cities like Salem, Tamil Nadu, where textile dyeing and sago industries are clumped together geographically. Conventional physicochemical treatment followed by biological processes for the effluent generated from these industries are ineffective, costlier and produce huge quantities of hazardous sludge and harmful by-products which requires further treatment and safe disposal. Hence, the development of an alternative treatment method will become important. The main objective of this investigation is to establish a sustainable biotreatment technology for the treatment of textile dyeing effluent using sago effluent as co-substrate in a two-phase upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor.     

Response of antioxidants in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) grown on different amendments of tannery sludge: its metal accumulation potential

The interaction of metals present in tannery waste and their tolerance in the plants of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) was studied in the present paper under field conditions. Effects of 100% tannery sludge and various amendments of tannery sludge (10%, 25%, 35%, 50%, 75%) along with one set of control were studied on the physiological and biochemical parameters of the plant along with their metal accumulation potential after 30, 60 and 90 d after sowing. The plants of H. annuus were found effective in the accumulation of metals (Cr, Fe, Zn and Mn) in roots, shoots and leaves, however, the level of toxic metal, Cr was found below detection limit in the seeds of the plant. The oil was extracted from the seeds of the plant and the level of oil content was increased up to 35% tannery sludge as compared to control followed by decrease at higher tannery sludge ratio. An increase in the chlorophyll, protein, cysteine, non-protein thiol and sugar contents was observed at the lower amendment of tannery sludge at initial exposure periods followed by decrease than their respective controls. Malondialdehyde content in the roots and leaves was increased beyond 50% sludge amendments at all the exposure periods as compared to control. However, proline and ascorbic acid contents of the roots and leaves of the plant increased at all the exposure periods and sludge amendments, compared to their respective controls.     

Translocation of metals and its effects in the tomato plants grown on various amendments of tannery waste: evidence for involvement of antioxidants

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of different amendments of tannery sludge on physiological and biochemical parameters of tomato plant (Lycopersicon esculentum L. Mill). The accumulation of metals (Cr, Fe) in different parts of tomato plants grown on tannery sludge amended soil increased in a concentration and duration-dependent manner. The accumulation of both the metals was found lowest in the fruits of the plant. The statistical analysis of the results showed an increase in chlorophyll and protein contents in lower sludge amendment ratio at all exposures followed by a decrease at highest (100%) sludge amendment ratio. Lipid peroxidation enhanced in both root and leaves of sludge grown plants of tomato at all the sludge amendments and exposure periods, which is evidenced by increased malondialdehyde content, however the maximum increase was found in the roots (43.63%) and leaves (56.66%) of the plant grown on 100% tannery sludge at 60 d, over respective controls. The level of antioxidants, cysteine, non-protein thiol and ascorbic acid increased in the sludge grown plants of tomato to cope up with stress induced by the excess amount of the heavy metals present in the tannery sludge. The maximum increase was found in cysteine content (75.53% in the leaves), non-protein thiol content (92.68% in the roots) and ascorbic acid content (29.66% in the roots) of the plant at 75% tannery sludge after 30 d. The tomato plants were found well adopted for minimizing damage induced by reactive oxygen species, when grown on tannery sludge amendments in the present study.     

UASB-SBR处理涤纶短纤维废水的实验研究

分别采用水解酸化与好氧（SBR）、厌氧（UASB）与好氧（SBR）工艺对涤纶短纤维废水的生物降解性能进行研究。水解酸化与好氧工艺在进水COD为1 900 mg/L的时候,去除率在80%左右。采用UASB-SBR工艺,进水COD为2700 mg/L时,COD去除率可以达到96%,出水COD〈100 mg/L。实验研究表明,涤纶短纤维废水更适合采用UASB-SBR工艺来处理,并且能够取得较好的效果。     

Fenton氧化-生化组合工艺处理染料中间体废水

针对染料中间体废水具有COD高、BOD5/COD低和具有生物毒性的特性,采用Fenton氧化-水解酸化-好氧组合工艺进行染料中间体生产废水的处理试验,试验结果表明:废水经Fenton氧化及水解酸化工序后,废水的BOD5/COD值由0.03升高至0.48,经好氧生化工序处理后的出水COD和BOD5浓度分别达122.6 mg/L和54.6 mg/L,符合《污水综合排放标准》(GB8978-1996)二级标准,该组合工艺COD总去除率达94%.     

Treatment of chemical mechanical polishing wastewater by electrocoagulation: system performances and sludge settling characteristics

Treatment of copper chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) wastewater from a semiconductor plant by electrocoagulation is investigated. The CMP wastewater was characterized by high suspended solids (SS) content, high turbidity (NTU), chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration up to 500 mgl(-1) and copper concentration up to 100 mgl(-1). In the present study, electrocoagulation was employed to treat the CMP wastewater with an attempt to simultaneously lower its turbidity, copper and COD concentrations. The test results indicated that electrocoagulation with Al/Fe electrode pair was very efficient and able to achieve 99% copper ion and 96.5% turbidity removal in less than 30 min. The COD removal obtained in the treatment was better than 85%, with an effluent COD below 100 mgl(-1). The effluent wastewater was very clear and its quality exceeded the direct discharge standard. In addition, sludge settling velocities after electrocoagulation were measured and the data were employed to verify the empirical sludge settling velocity models. Finally, the sludge settling characteristic data were also utilized to establish the relation between the solids flux (G) and the initial solids concentration.     

EGSB反应器处理城市生活垃圾沥滤液

采用膨胀颗粒污泥床(EGSB)反应器对城市生活垃圾焚烧厂产生的垃圾沥滤液进行处理。实验结果表明:中温条件下,当COD浓度为55 000 mg/L左右,有机容积负荷(OLR)为22.8 kg COD/(m3.d)时,EGSB对垃圾沥滤液具有较好的的处理效果,COD去除率可达94.2%。当进水COD为72 000 mg/L左右时,为保证反应器的稳定运行,OLR应降低至18.2 kg COD/(m3.d),此时COD去除率可以达到88%左右,出水COD平均为9 103 mg/L。垃圾沥滤液和EGSB处理出水均以小分子量有机物为主,其中<4 kDa的有机物分别占76.5%和74.4%。EGSB对整个分子量区间的溶解性有机物都有较好的处理效果,其中对大分子有机物的处理效率相对更高。     

Simultaneous nitrification-denitrification and clarification in a pseudoliquified activated sludge system.

This paper describes results from a pilot study of a novel wastewater treatment technology, which incorporates nutrient removal and solids separation to a single step. The pseudoliquified activated sludge process pilot system was tested on grit removal effluent at flowrates of 29.4 to 54.7 m3/d, three different solid residence times (SRT) (15, 37, and 57 days), and over a temperature range of 12 to 28 degrees C. Despite wide fluctuations in the influent characteristics, the system performed reliably and consistently with respect to organics and total suspended solids (TSS) removals, achieving biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and TSS reductions of > 96% and approximately 90%, respectively, with BOD5 and TSS concentrations as low as 3 mg/L. Although the system achieved average effluent ammonia concentrations of 2.7 to 3.2 mg/L, nitrification efficiency appeared to be hampered at low temperatures (< 15 degrees C). The system achieved tertiary effluent quality with denitrification efficiencies of 90 and 91% total nitrogen removal efficiency at a total hydraulic retention time of 4.8 hours and an SRT of 12 to 17 days. With ferric chloride addition, effluent phosphorous concentrations of 0.5 to 0.8 mg/L were achieved. Furthermore, because of operation at high biomass concentrations and relatively long biological SRTs, sludge yields were over 50% below typical values for activated sludge plants. The process was modeled using activated sludge model No. 2, as a two-stage system comprised an aerobic activated sludge system followed by an anoxic system. Model predictions for soluble BOD, ammonia, nitrates, and orthophosphates agreed well with experimental data.