Abstract
Among various pollutants, wastewater consists of toxic or carcinogenic heavy metals such as lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu). In this study, the contamination of heavy metals in residential (Domestic) and commercial (Car-wash centre) effluents from urban area of Quetta has been investigated using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The collected liquid effluent was passed through sorbents in vertical flow. The combined batch of Fly ash and Sawdust (adsorbents) showed high sorption capacity 0.0000424 mg·g -1 for lead (residential liquid waste) and 0.0000012 mg·g -1 for Cu (commercial liquid waste). The moderate partition coefficients were 0.001247 (Pb) and 0.000005 (Cu) mol·kg -1 ·Pa -1 for residential and commercial waste respectively. The highest removal efficiency of lead (99.763%) for residential effluent showed the breakthrough at 0.002. Thus, the sorbents used have significantly removal efficiency for Pb, moderate for Zn, and low for Cu. The effluent passed from designed filter media may be greatly effective for washing, cleaning and irrigation purpose.
Highlights
IntroductionWastewater has a source from any combination of domestic industrial, commercial, agricultural, surface runoff, storm water, sewer inflow, and sewer infiltration [1]
Irrigated agriculture is by far the largest consumer of fresh water in Pakistan, composition for freshwater has increased due to rapidly growing population
Fly ash was ordered from Trade-worth International Company Limited Karachi, while Sawdust was sourced from solid waste of Baruri Road, Quetta
Summary
Wastewater has a source from any combination of domestic industrial, commercial, agricultural, surface runoff, storm water, sewer inflow, and sewer infiltration [1]. Wastewater consist of substantial amount of toxic heavy metals to which human are exposed through various paths [2]. Pakistan being water stressed would soon become water deficient due to the shortage of water for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes [6]. Heavy metals present in drinking water can be perilous to consumers. Irrigated agriculture is by far the largest consumer of fresh water in Pakistan, composition for freshwater has increased due to rapidly growing population. Treated wastewater can substitute the use of freshwater in agriculture which is pumped from a very high depth (~570 m) in Baluchistan [10]. The treatment of wastewater include different technologies and can be divided [48]
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