Industrial Wastewater Treatment: Who Requires It?

With a rising population, urbanization, and industrialization, combined with the closure of river basins, India is left with highly water-stressed regions, unable to efficiently manage its water resources.

Consequently, the average per capita freshwater availability is expected to reduce to 1241 m3 by 2025.

It is also estimated that around 29.3 billion cubic meters of water will be required for domestic and industrial purposes by the year 2025.

Therefore, efficient and economical biological treatment of industrial wastewater and its reuse have emerged as a potential solution to meet future water demands.

In India, approximately 13,368 MLD of wastewater is generated by industries, out of which only 60%, mostly from large-scale industries, gets treated daily.

Industrial wastewater from small-scale industries often fails to meet the prescribed standards for treatment.

Hence, its reuse is restricted to agricultural and industrial uses and cannot be used for household needs.

Therefore, urgent and innovative solutions are needed to enhance the industrial wastewater treatment process in India.

Components of Industrial Wastewater

Based on the type of manufacturing industry, the effluents can vary in their composition.

The most common components found in industrial wastewater requiring treatment include ammonia, acids, heavy metals, calcium ions, detergents, paints, organic matter, solvents, fats, cellulose, and food waste.

As a large quantity of industrial wastewater ends up in the environment, industries need to treat effluents properly to meet the prescribed standards.

Many industries in India require efficient secondary treatment of wastewater (through biological methods).

The major industries requiring treatment are as follows :

1. Food and Beverage: Wastewater generated in food and beverage industries contains large amounts of nutrients, organic carbon, and a high concentration of organic particulate matter. Wastewater from dairy industries may contain high amounts of fats, oils, grease, and whey liquid that need to be separated and treated efficiently.
2. Pulp and Paper: Approximately 85% of the total effluent from this industry is generated during the bleaching stage, with effluent loadings dependent on the raw materials used. It consists of varying quantities of organic and inorganic substances. Chemical compounds in the wastewater that need treatment include resin acids, phytosterols, retene, and fatty acids. Activated sludge treatment and aerated ponds are the most commonly chosen treatment systems for wastewater generated in the paper industry.
3. Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals: Pollutants in wastewater generated from the petroleum industry include a variety of compounds such as hydrocarbons, mercaptans, oil and grease, phenol, ammonia, and sulphides. Common treatment methods include photocatalytic degradation, advanced oxidation, and bioremediation, among others.
4. Healthcare (Hospitals): Approximately 200 to 400 liters per capita per day of wastewater is generated in developing countries like India. Most effluents from hospitals are released into the sewer systems or treated at on-site sewage treatment plants before being released into the environment. However, improper treatment of this effluent can cause damage to human health, as it is characterized by pharmaceutically active compounds, antibiotic-resistant genes, viruses, and high BOD and COD content.
5. Chemical Manufacturers: Wastewater produced by this industry contains highly toxic pollutants, including organic and inorganic wastes, in varying concentrations. Materials released can be toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic, and require high levels of treatment before release.
6. Drugs and Pharmaceuticals: Wastewater from these industries can contain pharmaceutically active compounds with intrinsic biological activity. Its presence in the environment without proper treatment can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant microbes, increased toxicity of chemicals, and adverse effects on human and aquatic health. Common approaches for the treatment of wastewater include the recovery of individual APIs or drugs, aerobic/anaerobic biological treatment, inactivation of active substances through UV oxidation, or basic physical-chemical treatment methods.
7. Distilleries and Breweries: Most Breweries discharge about 70% of their incoming water as effluent. Brewery wastewater has a high moisture content and can be characterized by high BOD and COD levels, primarily due to organic components such as sugars, starches, and fatty acids.

Other industries that require wastewater treatment are as follows :

1. Agriculture: Wastewater from agricultural processes contains high levels of nitrate and phosphate contaminants from the usage of fertilizers. Water treated from these sectors is reused for irrigation, livestock, and machinery washing.
2. Construction: Waste generated from the construction industry includes debris and other materials. However, a minimal amount of wastewater is generated from the washing of heavy construction equipment.

Organica Biotech’s wastewater treatment technologies are inspired by nature and are a proven solution for effective sewage and industrial wastewater treatment.

Our bio-enzymes for wastewater treatment target a wide range of industries and municipal bodies, and are custom-designed to effectively and substantially degrade organic waste.

With Organica Biotech and a little help from nature, you can reduce sludge volume operational costs, curb foul odour, significantly lower COD and BOD levels in industrial wastewater, and significantly improve the treatment process.