Industrial wastewater is a type of polluted water generated from production and processing activities in industrial facilities, including domestic wastewater of workers. With its diversity in composition and volume, industrial wastewater can cause many serious problems for the environment and human health if environmental monitoring is not performed.
What is industrial wastewater?
Industrial wastewater is a type of polluted water that arises from production and processing activities in industrial facilities. This wastewater stream includes water from production processes, water used in industrial cleaning, and domestic wastewater from workers.
The composition and volume of industrial wastewater are very diverse, depending on many factors such as the type of industry, production technology, characteristics of equipment, time of use of equipment, management capacity of the facility, and awareness of employees. Each production sector creates wastewater with its own characteristics, for example:
- Food processing: Wastewater contains organic matter, excess grease, and chemicals from the processing.
- Textile dyeing: Wastewater contains dyes, treatment chemicals, and additives.
- Chemical Industry: Wastewater containing toxic chemicals and waste liquids from chemical processes.
- Pulp and Paper Manufacturing: Wastewater contains cleaning chemicals and waste from the paper manufacturing process.
- Mining: Wastewater can carry heavy metals and chemicals used in the mining process.
Industrial wastewater images collection
Below, Viet An will provide images of industrial wastewater to help you have a clearer view of environmental pollution issues from industrial activities. These images include different types of wastewater, the treatment process, as well as the impact of untreated wastewater on the environment and human health.
Industrial wastewater pollution and serious consequences
Industrial wastewater is one of the serious sources of pollution to the water environment, leading to many consequences not only for human health but also affecting economic development and the natural environment. Below are some typical harmful effects of industrial wastewater:
Impact on human health
Using water contaminated with industrial wastewater can cause many health problems:
- Increased risk of dangerous diseases: In areas near industrial plants, water pollution is often the cause of increased digestive and dermatological diseases, and even cancer. Long-term use of polluted water can cause serious diseases such as cancer or birth defects in children. The phenomenon of “cancer villages” in some industrial zones is a clear demonstration of this harm.
- Reduced quality of life and mental health: Wastewater from some industries can produce unpleasant odors, which can negatively affect the mental health of people living nearby. For example, wastewater from beer factories often has a characteristic foul odor, causing discomfort, headaches, difficulty breathing, and reducing people's productivity at work and in their studies.
Economic and environmental impact
In addition to the impact on health, industrial wastewater also causes significant economic damage:
- Damage to agriculture and aquaculture: Untreated wastewater discharged directly into aquaculture areas can cause mass deaths of shrimp, fish and other aquatic organisms. At the same time, wastewater seeps into the soil, polluting the soil, making it difficult for plants to grow or die due to absorbing toxins, seriously affecting the productivity and income of farmers.
- Impact on tourism and local development: Water pollution also reduces the beauty of the landscape, especially in localities with tourism potential. Heavily polluted rivers and lakes become black and smelly, making tourists no longer interested in returning, thereby affecting tourism income and local economic development.
Viet An understands the challenges and consequences caused by industrial wastewater pollution. With a commitment to protecting the environment and public health, Viet An provides advanced wastewater monitoring solutions, helping to control and treat wastewater effectively, contributing to reducing pollution and protecting a sustainable living environment.
What are the components of industrial wastewater?
Did you know that industrial wastewater is mainly water, accounting for more than 95%, while only the remaining 5% is pollutants and biodegradable waste? However, this 5% contains many toxic substances that can cause major negative impacts on the environment and human health. Below are the components commonly found in wastewater from industrial activities:
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
BOD, short for Biochemical Oxygen Demand, is a measure of the amount of oxygen needed by microorganisms to decompose organic matter in water. If wastewater has a high BOD level and is discharged into rivers or lakes, it can reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen, which is harmful to fish and aquatic life. Therefore, it is extremely important to treat wastewater to reduce the BOD level before discharging it into the environment. (The BOD index in domestic wastewater is usually around 200 mg/L).
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) or total dissolved solids, is the total amount of solids that can be dissolved in water, including ions such as minerals, metals, cations, and anions. TDS directly affects water quality, and when this index is high, it shows that the water may contain contaminants.
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
TSS, or total suspended solids, are small, insoluble solid particles that can remain suspended in water. When wastewater containing TSS is discharged directly into natural water sources without treatment, it can cause pollution, clog fish gills, and be a source of pathogenic bacteria, affecting the quality of the water environment.
Pathogens
Industrial wastewater also contains many dangerous pathogens that can threaten public health if not treated properly.
Nutrients
In addition to toxic substances, industrial wastewater can also contain nutrients from manufacturing processes. However, excess substances such as nitrogen can lead to eutrophication, which creates conditions for algae to grow strongly, causing a lack of oxygen and possibly killing fish.
In addition to the above substances, wastewater in industrial activities also contains many different components, depending on the manufacturing industry. Some basic components include:
- Solids: Includes organic, inorganic, soluble and insoluble solids.
- Nutrients: Compounds containing nitrogen (NH4+, NH3, NO3, NO2) and phosphorus, existing in organic and inorganic forms.
- Grease: Are organic molecules containing a lot of carbon and hydrogen, are part of the total COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) index of wastewater.
- Heavy metals: Exist in dissolved form or combined with other compounds.
- Residual chlorine: Is a substance used for disinfection and bleaching in the wastewater treatment process, which may remain after the treatment process.
- Fatty acids: Produced during fermentation or as intermediates in anaerobic reactions, contribute to the soluble COD of wastewater.
Containing a large amount of toxic substances, improperly treated industrial wastewater will cause serious impacts on the environment and human health. This is the cause of water, soil and air pollution, and is the agent of many dangerous diseases such as cancer, gene mutations, and lung diseases. With these negative impacts, the problem of industrial wastewater is becoming a global concern, requiring businesses to comply with increasingly strict wastewater treatment standards.
Proper industrial wastewater treatment process
Wastewater from industrial zones can cause serious consequences for the environment and public health. Therefore, industrial zones must invest in a wastewater treatment system that meets standards to ensure environmental safety. Below is an industrial wastewater treatment process that we have consulted, constructed, operated, and provided suitable equipment. The treatment steps include:
- Screen: The treatment process starts from the screen, where the wastewater is collected in the collection tank. Here, the automatic scraping system will remove the raw waste and put it into the tank. At the same time, the collection tank is equipped with pH and SS measuring devices to check the quality of the input wastewater. This is the most important stage that determines the efficiency of the entire treatment system.
- Collection tank: The collection tank is equipped with a pump and a meter to measure the inlet wastewater flow. Built underground, this tank not only helps collect wastewater from factories but also acts as a wastewater pumping station to the treatment system. Here, the sedimentation process also takes place to remove residues in the wastewater.
- Fine filter: Before the wastewater is sent to the main treatment system, it will go through the fine filter step. Here, the wastewater is filtered to retain waste particles with a size of 0.75mm or larger. After this step, the wastewater will continue to be transferred to the grease trap.
- Grease separator: This tank is responsible for separating grease molecules from wastewater through a skimmer system on the surface. Because grease has a lower density than water, it will float and be collected in the grease tank. This grease will then be processed by professional companies. After separating grease, the wastewater is transferred to the equalization tank.
- Equalization tank: Located underground, the equalization tank has the function of regulating the flow and quality of wastewater. Here, the submerged mixing system operates continuously to ensure that the wastewater is evenly mixed. The wastewater is then pumped into the SBR tanks for further treatment.
By following this process, industrial parks can ensure that wastewater is effectively treated before being discharged into the environment, complying with environmental regulations on wastewater monitoring và bảo vệ sức khỏe cộng đồng.
Conclusion
Industrial wastewater, with its diversity in composition and pollution levels, can cause serious impacts if not treated properly. Effective treatment processes are key to protecting the environment and public health. Viet An provides advanced treatment solutions to help industrial parks comply with environmental standards and ensure public safety.
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