How is wastewater treated in confectionery industry?
The content and quantity of wastewater from the confectionery business vary daily and seasonally, which has an unfavourable effect on the disposal process. Confectionery plants produce roughly 300-500 m3 of technical wastewater every month. Biologically degradable sewage comes from the confectionery business. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) values are both high (BOD).
Characteristics of wastewater from the confectionery industry
1. Because the cleaning process of the installation is the primary source of sewage in the confectionery sector, the amount of sewage generated is proportional to its frequency.
2. This sewage is biodegradable and predominantly consists of organic compounds and suspensions, which contributes to the high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) values.
3. Sugars, lipids, and colours are the most common organic compounds found in wastewater.
4. Confectionery sewage frequently contains cleaning and sanitizing compounds.
Wastewater treatment methods in confectionery industry
1. Mechanical treatment
Mechanical wastewater treatment, also known as the first stage of purification, is designed to remove bigger floating and dragging solids, granular particles larger than 0.1 mm in diameter, and suspensions, oils, and fats that fall easily. Grates and screens, which capture and separate solid debris from the bulk wastewater, are used to do this. Filtration, drainage, sedimentation, and flotation are all carried out at this step.
2. Physicochemical treatment
(a) Sorption
Sorption is made up of two different phenomena. The first is adsorption, which entails the attachment of molecules to a solid or liquid's surface. The second is absorption, which is defined as the sorption of one material by another, resulting in the formation of any continuous phase. Adsorption-based methods are believed to be one of the most competitive because they are simple and do not require a high operating temperature.
(b) Coagulation and flocculation
These technologies are mostly utilized in wastewater treatment to remove suspended particles and organic pollutants. The effectiveness of procedures is determined by the coagulant used. Aluminium and iron salts, as well as active silica, are the most preferred.
(c) Electrocoagulation
Electrocoagulation (EC) is an electrochemical technique for wastewater treatment that is becoming more popular. The EC is a simple and efficient technique in which electrolytically dissolved iron or aluminium anodes are usually used. There is no need to add any chemical coagulants or flocculants because the coagulating agent is produced in situ by electro-oxidation of a sacrificial anode.
(d) Ozonation
Because ozone is a powerful oxidant that is easily soluble in water, it is employed in wastewater treatment. Ozonation works best with well-diluted wastewater. This technique can only be utilized as a preparatory step in the full treatment technology in wastewater with a high concentration of organic components.
3. Biological methods
(a) The application of activated sludge
One of the most often utilized technologies is activated sludge treatment under aerobic conditions, although the costs of procurement and operation are sometimes prohibitive for industrial applications. The activated sludge is a biological system that contains both physical and biochemical activities. Physical processes based on the adsorption of organic molecules occur on the surface of flocks, causing them to break into smaller fragments. They're then absorbed by microbial cells, where they go through another metamorphosis.
(b) Treatment in an anaerobic environment
The anaerobic treatment uses a microbiological process, such as methane fermentation, to transform organic waste in sewage into biogas (methane and CO2). Anaerobic sludge has two types of bacteria that are involved in the process: flocculent and granular bacteria.
Anaerobic technologies are used in a variety of wastewater treatment procedures. Anaerobic digestion can beutilized to treat a variety of wastes as well as biosolids.
Conclusion
Effluents discharged from a confectionery industry are intended to pose a threat to the environment. To treat these effluents, various methods of wastewater treatment could be applied.
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