Treating Industrial Wastewater

Industrialisation has reformed economies by shifting them from agriculture-based to manufacturing-driven creation. This has resulted in the mass production of goods that improve our daily lives. However, this progress has also created considerable environmental challenges, notably in the urgent need for treating industrial wastewater that’s generated in immeasurable volumes.

Industrial effluent is a byproduct of manufacturing, mining, energy production, and other industrial activities. This emission can contaminate freshwater sources, harm ecosystems, and pose health risks to communities without proper treatment. Functional industrial wastewater treatment benefits the environment and is fundamental to resource conservation and sustainable development.

This article explores the origins of industrial wastewater, and numerous treatment methods (including reuse and reclamation). It also highlights advanced solutions that promote improved industrial efficiency and sustainability.

What Causes Industrial Wastewater?

Industrial wastewater results from various manufacturing and production activities, across multiple sectors. Core contributors include:

Manufacturing Practices

Chemical production, textile manufacturing, and metal handling facilities mostly involve using water as a solvent, coolant, or cleaning agent, resulting in contaminated effluents.

Mining Activities

The extraction and processing of minerals generate wastewater laden with heavy metals, sediments, and other pollutants.

Food and Beverage Production

Cleaning, processing, and packaging in food and beverage enterprises create organic-rich wastewater containing fats, oils, and biodegradable matter.

Power Generation

Cooling techniques in power plants can emit thermal pollution, where discharged water is substantially warmer than the natural water bodies it enters. This affects aquatic life.

Pharmaceutical and Chemical Industries

The production of medicines and chemicals results in intricate wastewater that may contain hazardous compounds requiring specialised treatment.

Treating Industrial Wastewater: Effective Methods

Treating industrial wastewater involves several methodologies custom-made to the exact contaminants present. The primary treatment methods include:

Physical Treatment

These methods of treating industrial wastewater use mechanical applications to separate solids and impurities from wastewater. They include sedimentation, which allows heavy particles to settle at the bottom of treatment tanks—ultimately making it easier to remove solids. Filtration eliminates suspended solids through many types of filters, such as sand, carbon, or membrane filters. Flotation employs air bubbles to lift lighter particles to the surface for removal. Lastly, screening physically removes large debris and solids before they enter further treatment stages.

Chemical Treatment

Chemical dosing alters or neutralises contaminants so they’re easier to remove. Conventional techniques include coagulation and flocculation, meaning adding chemicals to aggregate fine particles into larger clusters for easier removal. They also involve neutralisation, which adjusts pH levels to offset acidic or alkaline wastewater before further treating industrial wastewater. In addition, they use oxidising agents such as chlorine, ozone, or hydrogen peroxide to break down hazardous substances. Finally, they facilitate chemical precipitation by removing dissolved metals and other contaminants and converting them into solid form.

Biological Treatment

These techniques of treating industrial wastewater use microorganisms to break down organic pollutants in wastewater. Biological treatments contain aerobic applications, which use oxygen-dependent bacteria to decompose organic matter in sewage. Common methods include activated sludge processes and trickling filters. Anaerobic procedures utilise microorganisms that thrive in oxygen-free environments to treat high-strength wastewater, generating biogas as a byproduct. Lastly, constructed wetlands use natural plant and microbial procedures to treat wastewater in an eco-friendly manner.

Advanced Treatment

Advanced techniques provide higher purification levels when conventional practices are insufficient. These entail advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), which use highly reactive hydroxyl radicals to degrade complex organic pollutants. Membrane technologies employ semi-permeable membranes including microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis for separation. This can remove even the smallest contaminants. Furthermore, electrochemical treatment uses electrical currents to remove heavy metals and similar contaminants from wastewater.

Ways to Manage Industrial Wastewater

Industries can adopt various tactics such as source reduction to manage wastewater more effectively, which implements system modifications to minimise effluent generation at its origin. On-site treatment establishes filtration facilities within industrial premises to handle wastewater before discharge or reuse.

Reclamation and reuse treated wastewater to a standard that allows it to be reclaimed within the same system or for other applications, lowering freshwater demand. Finally, discharge to municipal treatment plants releases pre-treated wastewater to public treatment facilities while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

Treating Industrial Wastewater: NuWater’s Advanced Solutions

NuWater is a technology-led water treatment solutions company based in South Africa offering original approaches to treating industrial wastewater. Their solutions are designed to be sustainable, mobile, adaptable, and productive, addressing sophisticated water challenges across several industries.

Automated and Containerised Plants

NuWater builds and manages modular water and wastewater treatment plants that are rapidly deployable and re-deployable, providing flexibility and superior performance in operations.

Reclamation and Reuse Technology

NuWater emphasises wastewater recycling and reuse, presenting solutions that decrease environmental impact while boosting cost savings.

Desalination Systems

These advanced systems remove salt and impurities from wastewater. It’ll therefore be suitable for industrial reuse or safe discharge.

NuWater certifies that industries can practically control their wastewater and adhere to stringent environmental regulations by utilising advanced membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, and smart automation.

Conclusion

Treating industrial wastewater is unparalleled for environmental stewardship and resource conservation. Reportedly, over 80% of the world’s wastewater is released into the environment without treatment underscoring the desperate need for functional wastewater management practices.

Industries can drastically diminish their environmental footprint, promote sustainability, and contribute to the well-being of communities and ecosystems by implementing functional treatment of industrial effluents and embracing advanced solutions like those offered by NuWater. Proper wastewater treatment processes safeguard natural water bodies and support global efforts toward a more sustainable planet.

NuWater can help you streamline your production processes by relieving the burden of effective wastewater treatment. Contact us today to discover how.