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Published on: May 15, 2017
Confectionery industry: a case study on treatability-based effluent characterization and treatment system performance
H Ozgun1, N Karagul, R K Dereli
1Istanbul Technical University, Environmental Engineering Department, Istanbul, Turkey. ozgunha@itu.edu.tr
Summary
Industrial wastewater from confectionery factories is high in organic pollutants and acidic. Anaerobic pre-treatment using an expanded granular sludge bed reactor effectively removed chemical oxygen demand (COD) and produced biogas.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Industrial Wastewater Treatment
- Anaerobic Digestion
Background:
- Effective management of industrial wastewaters relies on source-based characterization and stream segregation.
- Confectionery factory wastewater presents unique challenges due to high soluble pollutant concentrations and low pH.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize wastewater sources from a confectionery factory.
- To evaluate the performance of an industrial wastewater treatment plant.
- To assess the feasibility of anaerobic pre-treatment for confectionery wastewater.
Main Methods:
- Wastewater sources were characterized based on pollutant concentrations and pH.
- An expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor was employed for anaerobic pre-treatment.
- Performance was evaluated by measuring chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and biogas production.
Main Results:
- Wastewater, excluding vacuum lines, exhibited high soluble pollutants and low pH.
- The EGSB reactor achieved an average COD removal of 88%.
- Average biogas production was 1,730 Nm(3)/day.
Conclusions:
- Anaerobic pre-treatment is a viable option for high-organic confectionery wastewater.
- The treated effluent quality is suitable for irrigation if conductivity is within acceptable limits.
- Source segregation and characterization are crucial for efficient industrial wastewater management.
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