Abstract:
Food processing is one of the most important industries around the world.
The food processing industry uses a huge amount of water in the production
process and consequently generates wastewater rich in inorganic and
organic contaminants. The Wastewater generated needs to be treated before
being released into the environment. This research aims to treat wastewater
released from a food processing industry. This food processing industry
processes spices including Garcinia (Goraka), pepper, turmeric, mustard,
chili and fenugreek and other food items including noodles, soy products
etc. The pH, temperature, TDS, conductivity, COD, and BOD5 of the
wastewater were determined. The wastewater was unusually acidic with pH
of 2.35. Its conductivity and TDS were 1240 μS and 477 ppm respectively.
The average value for COD and BOD5 were 3667 and 871 ppm. The
wastewater was highly acidic due to the presence of (-) hydroxycitric acid
released during the processing of Garcinia. Thin layer and paper
chromatographic studies showed Rf 0.36 and 0.24 respectively for the
solvent system, n- butanol: acetic acid: water = 4:1:5 confirming the
presence of (-) hydroxycitric acid in wastewater. Conventional treatment
methods using poly aluminium chloride and alum as the coagulants
followed by closed aeration were employed to treat the effluents. The
Highest COD removal efficiency was observed when coagulation was
carried out at pH 5 followed by neutralization to pH 7 using poly aluminium
chloride as the coagulant. Under these conditions the COD removal
efficiency was 88 % and BOD was reduced by 92 % in the treated
wastewater.
