Biochemical Oxygen Demand Reduction Research Articles

Industry restructuring and environmental performance – Decomposing the drivers of water pollution reduction in the Swedish pulp and paper industry, 1969-1989

This paper analyses the reduction of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) emissions in the Swedish pulp and paper industry between 1969-1989. To that end, I have constructed pollution records for a large sample of Swedish chemical pulp producers and decomposed the observed changes in BOD emissions into (i) scale, (ii) technique, (iii) composition, and (iv) plant entry and (v) plant exit effects. In contrast to previous decomposition analyses of industrial pollution reduction, which have mainly emphasised the technique effect and/or compositional changes across surviving plants, this study finds that the majority of the pollution reduction was due to the exit of numerous (predominantly emission-intensive sulfite) plants, in combination with a continuous reallocation of production from such plants towards the surviving (predominantly sulfate) plants. The divergence in results can be attributed to the industry’s market structure, which is an important factor to consider when assessing the potential for successful pollution reduction.

Naturally derived organic biochar as an alternative to commercially activated carbon in the oxygen removal of seafood processing wastewater

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe seafood processing industries are tremendously increasing in numbers which eventually discharge a large quantity of wastewater with a high range of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), directly into the aquatic environment. A high level of BOD and COD in wastewater pertains to a higher level of pollution which must be reduced to prevent hazardous impacts on ecosystems. The main objective of the research aimed to develop cost‐effective biochar and to remove BOD and COD from processing wastewater using two natural biomasses: water hyacinth and sugarcane bagasse.RESULTSNaOH‐treated and non‐treated biochar for both water hyacinth as well as sugarcane bagasse were prepared through the process of pyrolysis carried out at 600 °C with three different residence times of 30, 45 and 60 min. The wastewater was initially analyzed for BOD and COD levels. The results showed that among all the groups of biochars, the water hyacinth NaOH‐treated biochar pyrolyzed at 600 °C for 60 min exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) higher levels of reduction in BOD (86.6 ± 0.03%) and COD (94.3 ± 0.05%) at a residence time of 60 min in D2 (0.5 g (250 mL)−1). The maximum removal efficiency was observed for water hyacinth NaOH‐treated biochar pyrolyzed at 600 °C for 60 min.CONCLUSIONThe removal efficiencies of organic load revealed that the treated biochars exhibited a better reduction of nutrients. The biochar efficiencies when compared with those of activated carbon exhibited a higher removal level. The present research can be used to reduce BOD and COD levels in wastewater treatments. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Stormwater characterisation and modelling for Sungai Air Hitam in Selangor, Malaysia using model for urban stormwater improvement conceptualisation (music)

The aim of this study is to evaluate the current water quality status of one of the urban rivers in Malaysia, called Sungai Air Hitam. The river's water supply is not only unsuitable for the inhabitants but also hazardous to the aquatic species that depend on it. In order to simulate the water quality formulation of the river, the Model for Urban Stormwater Improvement Conceptualization (MUSIC) was used. The effects of various best management practices (BMPs) components have been examined to improve the river's water quality. This study also investigated different scenarios of the expected future changes in the land cover and the quality of the river. As the proportion of impervious surfaces increases, the urban hydrology cycle can be significantly altered, resulting in an increase in volumes and peak flows, and a decrease in storage, infiltration, and interception. The MUSIC results have shown significant reductions in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorus (TP), and total nitrogen (TN) after introducing BMPs. It was also noticed that the prediction of pollutants falls within the acceptable range set by the Urban Stormwater Management Manual for Malaysia (MSMA) 2nd edition. For the land cover, it was found that the total reduction of BOD, TSS, TP, and TN for existing land use is 92.5 %, 94.5 %, 90.7 % and 91.9 %. Meanwhile, the total reduction in future land use is 81.6 % for BOD, 86.2 % for TSS, 80.9 % for TP and 80.8 % for TN. From the simulation results, it was observed that the application of BMPs has successfully reduced the observed mean BOD concentration from 92.38 mg/L (Class V) to 6.93 mg/L (Class IV) of the national water quality standards, NWQS, water quality index. As a result, the water quality index of the overall catchment has improved from Class IV to Class III (WQ1, WQ3, and WQ4) and from Class V to IV (WQ2) with the application of the BMPs. This assessment aims to raise awareness within the Sungai Air Hitam community regarding the importance of preserving river cleanliness and understanding the long-term environmental impact of water quality. These findings underscore the importance of an integrated system in managing urban water systems, which can offer valuable insight to the decision-makers.

Design and development of a pilot plant for the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater containing molasses

Abstract The present work deals with the anaerobic treatment of molasses-bearing pharmaceutical wastewater using a specifically designed downflow anaerobic bioreactor (DFAB). The capacity of the designed DFAB was 1,000 L of adequate volume with necessary operational controls. Two types of anaerobic treatment, i.e. mesophilic and thermophilic treatments, were applied to the anaerobic biotransformation of wastewater under investigation. The efficiency of both treatments was compared in terms of reducing biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) load, as well as methane production. The anaerobic digestion process was carried out with the help of bacterial strains. The bacterial strains used in the mesophilic operation were acclimatised and utilised for the thermophilic treatment, which is a cost-effective and sustainable approach. A significant reduction in BOD and COD content of the wastewater was noticed after 10 days of retention time. Nearly 72–83% and 80–90% reduction in BOD values were recorded under mesophilic and thermophilic operations, respectively. Approximately 73–86% and 82–93% of COD content were reduced by mesophilic and thermophilic treatment, correspondingly. Methane production of 67 and 74% was achieved under mesophilic and thermophilic treatment, respectively. The designed DFAB showed remarkable treatment efficiency for wastewater and methane production.

Sustainable wastewater management in the brewing industry: Utilizing cellulose acetate membranes derived from brewers’ spent grain for enhanced treatment efficiency

Brewers’ spent grain (BSG), the primary by-product of the brewing industry, constitutes approximately 85.0% of the total by-products generated. BSG is known for its rich cellulose and non-cellulosic polysaccharide content, making it a valuable resource with significant potential for profitable recycling and reutilization. Given that the brewing sector is among the most substantial industrial consumers of water due to the water-intensive process of producing BSG, the effective management of wastewater in this industry is of paramount importance. This research focuses on investigating innovative wastewater management in the brewing sector. It employs the conversion of BSGs into a cellulose acetate membrane, thus enabling a physio-chemical treatment process utilizing the micro-filtration technique for wastewater treatment within the brewery industry. The results of this study demonstrate a substantial reduction in biochemical oxygen demand from the initial value of 16.65 mg/l (untreated) to 13.70 mg/l, 11.16 mg/l, 8.37 mg/l, 5.58 mg/l, and 3.14 mg/l after the first through fifth treatment cycles, respectively. Furthermore, the research indicates a high correlation with an R<sup>2 </sup>value of 0.999, affirming the viability and effectiveness of the treatment process. This is further substantiated by the results of chemical oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, and hydrogen ion concentration analyses presented in this study. These findings not only validate the efficacy of utilizing BSG-derived cellulose acetate membranes but also emphasize the potential for revolutionizing wastewater treatment practices within the brewing industry. This research paves the way for sustainable, environmentally conscious strategies in industrial wastewater management, ensuring the optimal utilization of by-products while minimizing the environmental footprint of brewing operations.

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION AND ITS ANALYSIS IN TANNERY WASTEWATER USING MOVING BED BIOFILM REACTOR AND ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS

The Tannery Industry produces a massive amount of toxic effluent which needs to be treated properly. It contains high organic matter, suspended solids, and chromium which in turn can cause environmental problems. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) and Activated Sludge Process (ASP) for treating tannery wastewater. It also highlights the importance of proper wastewater treatment in the tannery industry to mitigate environmental impacts. The batch analysis was conducted to find out removal efficiencies for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Sulphide (S2-), Ammonia (NH4), Nitrate (NO3). Kaldness K1 bio-media was used with a 50% filling ratio in the laboratory setup of the MBBR and aeration was provided to both setups. The results for the MBBR system showed chromium removal of 95.4% with the obtained reduction of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), sulfide (S2-), and nitrate (NO3) 93.5%, 88.8%, 93.7%, and 97.09%, respectively. It indicates significant removal efficiencies for various pollutants in the tannery wastewater, suggesting the effectiveness of the MBBR system.

Biomass Fuel Production through Fermentation of Lysinibacillus sp. LC 556247 in Various Ratios of Palm Oil Mill Effluent and Empty Fruit Bunch

Biomass wastes originating from palm oil milling activities can be characterized by their high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solid (TSS), and oil and grease content. The utilization of oil palm wastes such as palm oil mill effluent (POME) and empty fruit bunch (EFB) has great potential for a sustainable energy biomass pellet as it reduces the reliance on conventional materials for energy production. A mixture of POME and EFB in various ratios ranging between 7:3, 8:2, 9:1, and 10:0 was fermented in the presence of Lysinibacillus sp. LC 556247 for 120 h at 37 ± 2 °C and 180 rpm with the aim of elucidating the biodegradation of complex organic material in terms of BOD, COD, TSS, total organic carbon, inorganic carbon, and total carbon content. After fermentation, the mixtures were oven dried at 105 °C overnight and then subjected to calorific energy value (CEV) determination. The highest CEV of 20.26 MJ/kg was achieved for a ratio of 10:0 (slightly higher than the control experiment with the value of 18.67 MJ/kg), with maximum removal efficiencies of COD (12.19%), BOD (11.72%), TSS (93.94%), and oil reduction of 17.43%. The addition of EFB did not positively increase the CEV.

Towards Viable Eco-Friendly Local Treatment of Blackwater in Sparsely Populated Regions

The maintenance of people’s lifestyle against global climate change, exhaustion of groundwater, depletion of minerals, and water scarcity has instigated the recycling and reuse of water from unlikely sources. This situation has motivated researchers to develop effective technologies for treating wastewater, enabling its reuse. Water security has been ensured in myriad, highly populated regions through large-scale centralized treatment facilities. The development and implementation of small-scale, renewable-energy-based, decentralized, on-site treatment methodologies ensure water sustainability in rural areas, where centralized treatment facilities are impractical for application. This review article focuses on the recently reported low-cost purification techniques for recycling wastewater generated by single and community-based households in sparsely populated areas. Here we propose treatment technologies for efficient waste management that can be easily integrated in the upcoming years to the lavatories built under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), a momentous cleanliness campaign that has been successfully implemented by the Government of India (GOI). Specifically, we suggest an electrochemical (EC) method to treat the supernatant of the Blackwater (BW) to produce purified non-potable water for reuse in diverse purposes. The EC technique does not require external chemicals for treatment and can be powered by sustainable technologies (like solar panels), thus reducing the treatment cost. Subsequently, vermicomposting, microwave, biogas, and phycoremediation methods are considered to treat the solid sludge to produce value-added products such as enriched organic fertilizer for agriculture and biofuel. The above methods also ensure the satisfactory reduction in Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) (>85%) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) (81–91%) and the complete removal of pathogens and other harmful pollutants. Finally, the novel treatment techniques discussed here are not only limited to rural areas of India but can be implemented in any rural area of the world.

Treatment of Sugarcane Vinasse Using Heterogeneous Photocatalysis with Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

Vinasse is the main by-product of the ethanol industry; for each liter of ethanol, 13 to 18 L of vinasse is generated. Vinasse is composed of 93% water and 7% organic and inorganic solids and has an acidic pH and a high concentration of macro- and micronutrients used by plants, which is the reason for its widespread application in soil fertigation. However, over time, excessive direct discharge of vinasse into the soil causes damage, such as salinization and groundwater contamination. In this study, we used heterogeneous photocatalysis with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) to reduce chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and as an antimicrobial treatment. ZnO-NPs were synthesized by the precipitation of zinc sulfate heptahydrate and sodium hydroxide, resulting in nanoparticles with a size of 21.6 ± 0.3 nm and an energy bandgap of 2.6 eV. Microscopic examinations revealed that Saccharomyces cerevisiae microorganisms are present in vinasse and that the minimum inhibitory concentration for the ZnO-NPs is 1.56 g/L. Photocatalysis with 40 mg/L of ZnO-NPs for 4 h of exposure to sunlight resulted in COD and BOD reduction efficacies of 17.1% and 71.7%, respectively. This study demonstrates the viability of using ZnO-NPs in vinasse treatment, contributing to sustainable applications and reducing the environmental impacts of fertigation.

Nanobubble ozonation for waterbody rejuvenation at different locations in India: A holistic and sustainable approach

In this study, four different sites of ponds at different time period were analysed to show to the effect of Nanobubble ozonation (NBO). NBO is one of novel technologies which is environmentally friendly only using air, ozone, and requiring virtually no chemicals. All the case studies have been performed in real time in different seasons and locations which gives the idea of importance of NBO for the treatment of water bodies with completely natural, environmentally sustainable, cost effective, and less time-consuming technology. Three case studies have been investigated in-situ (Site 1, 2, 4) and one ex-situ (site-3), which verify the efficacy of NBO in treating pond water. NBO treated water was determined to be in the standard limits, odour was eliminated, and water was cleaned enough to be consumed by the animals. The test results show that ozone nanobubble (NBO) in wastewater treatments achieved 85–99% reduction in total soluble solids (TSS), 80–90% reduction in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and 55% chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction at site 3 and 82% COD reduction at site 4. Improved dissolved oxygen suitable for the living beings was achieved. Hence, this paper emphasizes the efficacy of NBO treatment to reclaim the water bodies and ecological restoration and to achieve the sustainable goals of clean water and environmental sustainability. DO level in all the ponds improved significantly after NBO treatment and showed the value of 14.5 mg/L when measured even after 50 h. Nanobubble gas dissolution system not only able to improve the dissolved oxygen up to supersaturation level but also able to retain it consistent more than 14–15 h. The vary reason for maintaining such consistency is the size of nanobubbles which is around <0.5 μm and NB doesn't follow the buoyancy, hence move in water in Brownian motion. NBG systems are future of our lakes and ponds rejuvenation and maintain the water quality.

Green walls as a novel wastewater treatment option for craft breweries

The fermentation industry has experienced significant growth as craft breweries and small wineries and cideries are enjoying increased popularity. These beverage manufacturers are also facing increased regulatory pressure to treat wastewater (WW) prior to discharge to the environment and municipal sewer systems. This research assesses the performance of a green wall system in treating brewery WW by measuring reductions in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), turbidity, total solids and total nitrogen. The system includes a green wall column with a 35 L sump and a pump that continuously cycles wastewater at an average rate of 3 L/min through the green wall in a batch process. Experimental scenarios included a control with the pump cycling WW between the sump and an empty column and WW cycled through a media filled column, columns with media and biofilm, and the full system including media, plants and biofilm. After 24 h of treatment, the full system achieved 78%, 97% and 63% reductions of BOD, turbidity and total nitrogen, respectively. The net hydraulic residence time within the green wall column was 40 min over the 24 h treatment period. Although, the WW resided in the green wall columns for only 2.8% of the treatment period, the green wall accounted for 50%, 84%, and 94% of the reduction of BOD, turbidity, and total nitrogen. This green wall system has the potential to provide adequate treatment of brewery wastewater prior to discharge to a municipal sewer system or an onsite treatment system.

Wastewater effluents analysis from sustainable algae-based blue dyeing with phycocyanin

Sustainability in the textile industry is a challenge with an imminent need to be tackled. One approach can be focused on replacing fossil-based dyes with renewable and less polluting alternatives. In this sense, this study focuses on validating the suitability of an innovative natural-based blue dye, phycocyanin, sourced from Spirulina platensis microalgae. The laboratory-based experimental approach envisages the exhaustion dyeing of pre-mordanted cotton and bleached wool with phycocyanin-rich extract, representing the sustainable blue dye. The color characterization of naturally blue-dyed fabrics was performed via CIE Lab coordinates, depth of color by color stregth valures ( K/S), values of dye exhaustion, and colorfastness to laundering and light. The results indicate suitable dyeability with the natural blue dye, with process improvements a possibility. The main environmental character of this process was analyzed from the dyeing effluent characterization perspective. Measurements of chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, and metal content were performed on effluents resulting from dyeing processes with variable parameters, to analyze the influence of mordant use, process temperature, time, and pH. Findings indicate that the application of optimum dyeing process conditions results in the lowest oxygen demand values, suitable for further wastewater reuse, according to international industrial effluent limitations. The biological fungi wastewater treatment resulted in the reduction of biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand values by around 80%, comparable with the industrial process, validating the sustainable character of using algae-based phycocyanin in the bath exhaustion dyeing process.

Isolation of a Marine Bacterium and Application of Its Bioflocculant in Wastewater Treatment

Bioflocculation has become the method of choice in wastewater treatment because of its effectiveness, environmental friendliness and innocuousness to humans. In this study, the bioflocculant-producing bacterium was isolated and its bioflocculant was used in wastewater treatment. The isolate was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Its culture conditions (inoculum size, carbon and nitrogen sources, pH, temperature and time) were optimised using the one-factor-at-a-time assay. The cytotoxicity of the bioflocculant was assessed on human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco2) by tetrazolium-based colorimetric method. The ability of the bioflocculant to reduce biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in wastewater was evaluated using Jar test. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus subtilis CSM5 and the maximum flocculating activity of 92% was observed when fructose and urea were used as nutrients and the culture conditions were adjusted to 30 °C, pH 9, 160 rpm and 72 h of incubation. Caco2 exhibited 90% viability when the highest bioflocculant concentration of 200 µg/µL was used. The reduction of BOD and COD was achieved at 59 ± 3.1 and 75 ± 0.4%, respectively. In conclusion, B. subtilis CSM5 is a good candidate for bioflocculant production and its bioflocculant has good potential for use in wastewater treatment.

Real-time assessment of the Ganga river during pandemic COVID-19 and predictive data modeling by machine learning.

In this study, four water quality parameters were reviewed at 14 stations of river Ganga in pre-, during and post-lockdown and these parameters were modeled by using different machine learning algorithms. Various mathematical models were used for the computation of water quality parameters in pre-, during and post- lockdown period by using Central Pollution Control Board real-time data. Lockdown resulted in the reduction of Biochemical Oxygen Demand ranging from 55 to 92% with increased concentration of dissolved oxygen at few stations. pH was in range of 6.5–8.5 of during lockdown. Total coliform count declined during lockdown period at some stations. The modeling of oxygen saturation deficit showed supremacy of Thomas Mueller model (R2 = 0.75) during lockdown over Streeter Phelps (R2 = 0.57). Polynomial regression and Newton’s Divided Difference model predicted possible values of water quality parameters till 30th June, 2020 and 07th August, 2020, respectively. It was found that predicted and real values were close to each other. Genetic algorithm was used to optimize hyperparameters of algorithms like Support Vector Regression and Radical Basis Function Neural Network, which were then employed for prediction of all examined water quality metrics. Computed values from ANN model were found close to the experimental ones (R2 = 1). Support Vector Regression-Genetic Algorithm Hybrid proved to be very effective for accurate prediction of pH, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Dissolved Oxygen and Total coliform count during lockdown.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13762-022-04423-1.

Experimental and optimization studies on phycoremediation of dairy wastewater and biomass production efficiency of Chlorella vulgaris isolated from Ganga River, Haridwar, India.

Dairy wastewaters (DWW) are rich in several pollutants, including high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), and their unsafe disposal may cause damage to the environment. In this study, Chlorella vulgaris (identified as NIES:227 strain based on 28s rRNA sequencing) was isolated from the freshwater habitat of the Ganga River at Haridwar, India, and further tested for its efficacy in treating DWW. The phycoremediation experiments were conducted using three different DWW concentrations (0, 50, and 100%), operating temperatures (20, 25, and 30°C), and light intensities (2000, 3000, and 4000lx) using response surface methodology. Results showed that after 16days of experiments, a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in BOD (96.65%) and COD (87.50%) along with a maximum biomass production of 1.757g/L was achieved using 57.72% of dairy industry wastewater, 24.16°C of reactor temperature, and 3874.51lx of light intensity. The RSM models had coefficient of determination (R2) values above 0.9459 with a minimum difference between measured and predicted responses. Therefore, the findings of this study suggest that the isolated C. vulgaris can be effectively used to treat dairy wastewater along with significant production of algal biomass which can be further used for the generation of low-cost biofuel and other materials.

Floating Wetlands for Sustainable Drainage Wastewater Treatment

The preservation of water resources in modern urbanized society is a major concern. In this study, a floating constructed wetland (FWT) pilot plant was designed and constructed for the treatment of a polluted wastewater drain. A series of experiments were run continuously for a year in pilot-scale FWTs in a semi-arid area located in Egypt’s Delta. Four aquatic plant species (Eichhornia, Ceratophyllum, Pistia stratiotes, and Nymphaea lotus) were used to assess the performance of FWTs for pollutant removals, such as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), electrical conductivity (EC), and total dissolved solids (TDS), from drainage wastewater to reuse the treated effluent in irrigation practices. The FWT systems were fed drainage tainted water on a weekly basis, and the concentrations and removal efficiency were assessed in the experiments. The average reduction in BOD, COD, TSS, TDS, TN, EC, and TP were 76–86%, 61–80%, 87–95%, 36.6–44.1%, 70–97%, 37–44%, and 83–96%, respectively. ANOVA with Post-HOC t-tests show that the Eichhornia, Pistia stratiotes, and Nymphaea lotus have the highest BOD and COD removal performance, whereas Pistia stratiotes and Nymphaea lotus have the highest TN and TP removal performance. In all cases, the Nymphaea lotus performed well in terms of pollutant removal. In addition, a design procedure for a FWT systems is presented. For wastewater treatment, FWT systems have proven to be a low-cost, long-term option.

Model Matematika Optimasi Multi-Objektif Penurunan Beban Limbah Biochemical Oxygen Demand pada Instalasi Pengolahan Air Limbah

The increase in community activities causes the amount of wastewater to increase. This wastewater comes from industrial production processes and from the community activities which are domestic wastewater. Domestic wastewater must be treated before being discharged to water sources because it contains pathogenic organisms. The place for treating domestic wastewater is Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The main purpose of WWTP is to degrade the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and pathogenic organisms. This study develops a multi-objective optimization mathematical model for reducing the BOD load in the WWTP. This optimization model has three objective functions, namely maximizing the BOD load that is treated in the pond minimizing the difference between the BOD reduction efficiency value in the WWTP with the reference efficiency value and minimizing the power used by the aerator. The simulation results show that the maximum BOD load that can be treated in facultative ponds I and II is 1,589.688 Kg/day while for facultative ponds III and IV is 1,727.158 Kg/day. The efficiency value of reducing BOD load is influenced by the residence time variable, where the efficiency value of reducing the BOD load for facultative ponds I and II by 54% while for facultative ponds III and IV by 57%. The power used by the aerator is influenced by the treated BOD load variable, the aerator power in facultative ponds I and II is 49.67775 Kwh while in facultative ponds III and IV it is 53.97369 Kwh.

Bioremediation potential of newly isolated Bacillus albus strain VKDS9 for decolourization and detoxification of biomethanated distillery effluent and its metabolites characterization for environmental sustainability

In India, the environment friendly and sustainable management of colored effluents emanating from alcohol-producing distilleries has become a serious environmental concern. The current study aimed to examine the efficiency of ligninolytic enzyme-producing bacterial strain isolated from ameliorated distillery sludge by enrichment method for its bioremediation and detoxification potential of biomethanated distillery effluent (BMDE). Out of nineteen bacterial isolates isolated from distillery sludge, one strain VKDS9, having higher ability towards the removal of effluent’s color, was identified as Bacillus albus by 16S rRNA analysis. The bacterium showed significant decolourization of effluent up to 83% with subsequent reduction of biochemical oxygen demand (3261 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (7870.5 mg/L), and other physico-chemical parameters including metallic and non-metallic elements in the presence of glucose (1% w/v) and peptone (0.5% w/v) at optimal temperature 37 °C, pH 8.0, and 180 rpm within 144 h. Further, biodegradation of effluent was confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography analysis that showed appearance/disappearance and reduction of several peaks. Moreover, GC–MS​ analysis of bacterial treated effluent displayed the disappearance of several chemical contaminants and formation of new metabolites which were formed as end products of biodegraded effluent. Furthermore, phytotoxicity of treated and untreated BMDE was evaluated using Cicer arientinum L. seeds revealed the biodetoxification of BMDE after treatment by B. albus strain VKDS9. This study concluded that B. albus strain VKDS9 can be used as an efficient biotechnological tool for remediation of distillery effluent for its harmless dumping into the environment towards sustainable development. • Novel ligninolytic enzyme producing Bacillus albus strain VKDS9 was isolated. • Significant pollutant load along with color removal was achieved by strain VKDS9. • Phytotoxicity​ assessment showed toxicity reduction in treated distillery effluent. • Strain VKDS9 can be used as a promising tool for remediation of distillery effluent.

Sustainable cleaner production technologies and treatment of segregated effluent streams with recovery of quality salt, chromium &amp; water

Conventional process and treatment system adopted by Indian and Global Tanneries consist of Segregation of Spent Chrome Stream and discharge of supernatant for combined treatment along with effluent from all sectional operations starting from soaking to finishing, Conventional physiochemical and biological treatment for reduction of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), etc., Ultra-filtration and Reverse Osmosis (RO) system for recovery of water and Multiple Effect Evaporator (MEE) for the evaporation of RO reject stream and generation of mixed salt in case of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system and Storage of mixed salt recovered from the MEE system for which no viable disposal system is found. Establishment of treatment system for the mixed stream results in poor performance of biological treatment units, increases the Operation &amp; Maintenance (O&amp;M) cost and accumulation of recovered mixed salt in case of ZLD system. It is estimated that, more than 8-10 tones of mixed salt is generated during the treatment of 1.0 MLD effluent under ZLD system. To address this serious environmental problem, an innovative approach of segregation of saline streams such as soak liquor and chrome liquor are planned to be collected separately with the feasibility of recovering reusable quality salt and chromium in the form cake for regeneration and use in the form of Basic Chromium Sulphate (BCS) by the tanneries. This innovative treatment concept has been developed and is being implemented in many Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in India. This will become the first of its kind in Global Leather World. This developmental scheme is in accordance with the guidelines and recommendations of UNIDO in terms of sustainability of ZLD system for leather sector. The technological developments on cleaner productions, centralized chrome recovery reuse system, segregation of saline soak water for separate treatment with recovery of water and quality salt are dealt in this technical paper.

A Synergistic Effect of Moringa oleifera-Based Coagulant and Ultrafiltration for the Wastewater Treatment Collected from Final ETP

Provision of safe drinking water, devoid of aetiologies, is an all-time challenge due to the usage of unsafe chemicals in most of the water treatment processes. The main objective of the present paper is to evaluate the use of Moringa oleifera (MO) as a natural coagulant in coagulation/flocculation (C/F) followed by the ultrafiltration (UF) of Final Effluent Treatment Plant wastewater treatment which can also be employed as an alternative to the present conventional methods of treatment. Process efficiency was evaluated in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), turbidity, total hardness, alkalinity, ammoniacal nitrogen, and zeta potential along with permeability and fouling behaviour of the membrane. A significant improvement in both the physical and chemical characteristics of the effluent quality is showing a clearer colour and a greater reduction in BOD (89.74%) and COD (63.80%) values, while pH was in the acceptable range for effluent disposal. The results indicate a lower membrane fouling rate (49%), an increase in permeate flow, and better quality of the permeate, proving that the C/F-UF treatment is an effective and efficient technique for wastewater treatment. Eventually, the treated wastewater obtained with this process generates better quality water and preserves the aquatic ecosystem.