Research Article Open Access

Use of Herbal Coagulant for Primary Treatment of Dairy Wastewater

Abstract

Moringa Oleifera herbal coagulant is reported to be efficient in removal of turbidity from waters. Possibility of its use in the primary treatment of industrial wastewater was explored and the findings are reported in this paper. Dairy wastewater which was subjected to preliminary treatment - screens, oil and grease removal and equalization - aeration tank - was observed to contain white colloidal suspensions, mostly organic in nature. Coagulation-sedimentation studies were conducted on laboratory scale treatment units (Jar Test apparatus) using Moringa oleifera, a herbal coagulant, which is free of constraints viz. pH and alkalinity. The results of the studies are quite encouraging. Optimum dose of Moringa oleifera (60 mg/L) observed to reduce pollution parameters- initial BOD5 and COD of Dairy wastewater- to the tune of 55% and 60% respectively. Using fullers earth as coagulant-aid (15 mg/L) these reductions were further increased by 5% and 6% respectively. Preliminary and primary treatment together reduce the initial BOD5 and COD values respectively by 60 % and 66 % and residual BOD5 remained below 500 mg/L (maximum limit allowed for discharge of treated effluent on land through irrigation)

D.S. Bhutada, M.T. Datar and S.N. Kaul

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