Evaluating Treatability for Industrial Wastewater by Soil Biotechnology Using Sprinkling Flow Method
Treatment of industrial wastewaters by conventional methods requires skilled labours, external energy, high operation cost and maintenance cost, thereby creating a need for efficient eco-friendly and less expensive treatment method. The Present study focuses on treatment of industrial wastewater from paper and pulp industry, textile industry and pharmaceutical industry by using soil biotechnology. The lab scale model was set up using granular media like soil, sand and gravels. The experiments for treatability study were carried out with and without earthworms. The Eisenia fetida Earthworms were used in the study for the treatment of wastewaters. The treatment efficiency of wastewater was also checked on base of application of wastewater in the reactor. The wastewater was applied in the reactor by (a) Sprinkling method and (b) Direct flow method. Hydraulic retention time (HRT) was kept at 4 hrs, 8 hrs and 16 hrs. The maximum treatability efficiency was achieved in the reactor with earthworms and by applying wastewater by sprinkling method. TDS, TSS, COD, BOD and Ammonical nitrogen, of treated wastewater for pharmaceutical industry 98%, 97%, 99%, 99% and 91%, for paper and pulp and pulp industry was noted as 90%, 93%, 96%, 87% and 91% and for textile industry it was noted as 91%, 91%, 96%, 99% and 90% respectively.