Wastewater treatment plant for integrated textile industry
Effective Wastewater Treatment Plant for an Integrated Textile Industry in India
Introduction:

The Integrated Textile Industry is a leading cloth manufacturing company that involves denim production, cotton apparel manufacturing, and is also involved in the pulping of raw materials and paper manufacturing. With a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, the Integrated Textile Industry operates a waste water treatment plant (WWTP) at its textile manufacturing facility to treat the industrial effluent generated during its textile production processes.

However, the industry faced challenges in meeting the effluent discharge limits for certain pollutants, including the presence of components from reactive dyes, high chemical oxygen demand (COD), elevated biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), higher levels of color, and effluent temperature reaching up to 50°C. To address these challenges, the industry implemented a bioaugmentation program at its effluent treatment plant (ETP), which resulted in significant improvements in the wastewater treatment process and compliance with regulatory standards for industrial effluents.

Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) Details:

The industry had primary treatment, biological treatment, and then a tertiary treatment.

Flow 500-600 KLD
Type of process MBBR
No. of aeration tanks 2 (in parallel)
Capacity of aeration tanks 650 KL each
Total RT hours
Challenges:
Parameters Inlet parameters  Outlet parameters (Secondary System)
COD 13,000 to 10000 8500 to 6800 
BOD 4000 to 2500 2800 to 1650
Colour 750 to 900 Hazen 560 to 700 Hazen
  • The primary treatment system was working at 20-30% efficiency in terms of COD reduction.
  • The biological treatment was working at an average of 10-15% efficiency combined in terms of COD removal.
  • The system was struggling to effectively treat pollutants originating from reactive dyes and to reduce color contamination in the textile effluent.
  • The mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) were very low, and the microbial population in the biological treatment tanks could not develop due to the high wastewater temperature of 50°C.
  • The conventional MBBR waste water treatment plant was not efficient enough to consistently meet the stringent effluent discharge standards set by local environmental regulatory agencies.

As a result, the textile manufacturing company faced the risk of non-compliance, which could lead to regulatory fines, reputational damage, and environmental pollution.

The Bioaugmentation Approach:

The Integrated Textile Industry partnered with us to enhance the efficiency of their biological units. They had two aeration tanks in parallel, equipped with diffusers, handling a daily wastewater flow of 500-600 KLD.

Bioaugmentation is a biological wastewater treatment technique that involves adding specifically selected microorganisms, such as bacteria and enzymes, to improve the biological degradation of pollutants in a waste water treatment plant. The team conducted a comprehensive wastewater assessment to analyze the industrial effluent characteristics and the WWTP’s operational parameters, identifying the best bioaugmentation strategy for this textile effluent treatment plant.

Based on the assessment, a customized bioaugmentation program was designed and implemented. The microbial cultures were carefully selected to target organic pollutants, particularly contaminants from reactive dyes in the industrial effluent stream. Thermophilic bacteria were introduced to withstand high-temperature wastewater conditions and enhance the biological treatment process.

The bioaugmentation process was seamlessly integrated into the existing wastewater treatment process, and the performance of the WWTP was monitored over the next three months.

Improved Effluent Quality After Bioaugmentation:

Parameters

 Inlet Parameters (ppm)

Outlet Parameters (After Bioaugmentation) (ppm)
COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) 13,000 to 10,000 2,500 to 1,800
BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) 4,000 to 2,500 800 to 650
Color (Hazen Units) 750 to 900 150 to 300
Results and Benefits of Bioaugmentation in Wastewater Treatment:

The implementation of the bioaugmentation program resulted in significant improvements in the performance of biological units at the wastewater treatment plant:

âś… Achieved around 80-84% reduction in COD & BOD levels in the treated industrial effluent.
âś… Attained 80-85% color removal efficiency, demonstrating visible improvement in effluent clarity.
âś… Enhanced microbial population growth in biological tanks, even at higher wastewater temperatures.
âś… The biological treatment system became more stable, reducing process fluctuations caused by influents variability.
âś… Increased plant reliability, ensuring consistent compliance with regulatory discharge limits.
âś… Reduced operational costs through optimized biological treatment efficiency.

The successful bioaugmentation application has helped the Integrated Textile Industry maintain regulatory compliance, improve wastewater treatment plant performance, and support their commitment to sustainable textile manufacturing.

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Chemical Industry Effluent Treatment with T1B Aerobio Bioculture
Introduction:

Effluent treatment is an essential process for the chemical manufacturing industry as it is a significant source of industrial wastewater pollution. Chemical industries produce a wide range of chemicals, and the effluent wastewater from these industries can contain a variety of pollutants that need to be treated before discharge into the environment. Biological wastewater treatment of effluent with bioculture for wastewater treatment is an effective and eco-friendly method for treating industrial effluent from the chemical sector.

A chemical processing industry located at Amaravati MIDC industrial area was perturbed by surging Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) levels. Our client had an activated sludge process (ASP) wastewater treatment plant, which had 4 aeration tanks in series. The industrial effluent contained high levels of chemical pollutants such as phenol, formaldehyde, ammonia, and heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and chromium. The industry used microbial culture for effluent treatment to reduce effluent parameters. However, it was incompetent at treating wastewater discharge, which could not meet the Pollution Control Board (PCB) wastewater treatment guidelines.

The initial approach: After a complete study of the effluent treatment plant (ETP) through a questionnaire, an on-site effluent assessment, and discussions with the EHS (Environmental Health & Safety) team, our experts identified numerous challenges to be addressed:

Main Issues:
  • High COD levels in wastewater
  • High BOD levels in wastewater
  • High Total Ammoniacal Nitrogen (TAN) in effluent
Effluent Treatability Study:

Before planning a wastewater treatment scheme, it is crucial to perform an industrial wastewater treatability study to understand the characteristics of industrial effluent and devise an appropriate biological wastewater treatment regime specific to the chemical industry wastewater. Team One Biotech provided the sample for a pilot-scale wastewater treatment trial, which is a laboratory-scale effluent treatment study that confirms the suitability of the bacterial consortium for wastewater treatment present in our product and its development in the effluent stream. These trials were specifically designed to provide a clear indication of whether the microbial solution for wastewater treatment can grow in a given type of effluent without compromising the pollutant reduction efficiency.

Microscopic analysis reports of the sample revealed satisfactory bacterial growth in industrial effluent. Understanding and developing methodologies for the treatment of chemical industry wastewater is necessary due to the scarcity of freshwater resources. The four main constituents in pharmaceutical plant wastewater treatment that regulators are generally concerned with are Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Total Nitrogen (TN), Total Phosphorus (TP), and Total Suspended Solids (TSS).

Treatment Regime Using T1B Aerobio:
T1B Aerobio: A Complete Solution for Industrial Wastewater Treatment

Our team of researchers developed this unique biotech formulation for effluent treatment, T1B Aerobio, which has proven to be extremely beneficial in solving the most challenging industrial wastewater treatment problems over the years. T1B Aerobio is a microbial consortium for wastewater treatment, isolated from nature. The microbes secrete effective biodegrading enzymes, which are completely natural and safe for humans, plants, and animals. These microbes are highly efficient in degrading organic pollutants in wastewater, refractory wastewater contaminants, and toxic industrial effluents even under high TDS levels.

Our team of experts planned to move ahead strategically for maintaining transparency in effluent treatment implementation between us and the industry. Initially, there was a laboratory-scale study, followed by a pilot plant study to build the client’s confidence in our biological wastewater treatment technology. Finally, the treatment was implemented on the actual industrial wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).

Execution:
Plant Optimization:

Team One Biotech recommended some changes in the effluent treatment plant design for the smooth functioning of the biological treatment process.

Initial Dosing Plan:

We planned a 60-day dosing schedule with a higher microbial culture dosing in the first month and a maintenance dose in the second month.

Observation:

We observed that after adding T1B Aerobio, it significantly reduced the COD in industrial wastewater, BOD in chemical effluent, and TAN levels in wastewater. The table below shows the reduction:

Day 1 Day 15 Day 30 Day 45 Day 60
COD ppm 25000 14084 8015 2045 243
BOD ppm 10000 4049 2510 804 110
TAN ppm 450 358 190 98 44
Results:

We observed:

  • 99% reduction in COD levels
  • 99% reduction in BOD levels
  • 90% reduction in TAN levels
  • Achieved the desired Mixed Liquor Volatile Suspended Solids (MLVSS): Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS) ratio of 0.7
  • Maintained the required Food to Microorganism (F/M) ratio
  • Improved overall effluent treatment plant efficiency
Conclusion:

The use of T1B Aerobio for industrial wastewater treatment in the chemical manufacturing sector proved to be an effective and eco-friendly method. The efficiency of the effluent treatment plant (ETP) improved significantly, stabilizing the biological wastewater treatment process quickly. The treated effluent successfully met the Pollution Control Board (PCB) compliance standards for wastewater discharge norms.

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Commisioning of ETP of a petrochemical industry
Restart and Commissioning of ETP of a Petrochemical Industry
Introduction: 

This petrochemical industry in West Bengal has a full-fledged Activated Sludge Process (ASP) system with two aeration tanks in parallel. This Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) experienced shock loads and frequent upsets due to multiple streams and high Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) in the effluent. Maintenance of a good biomass in the aeration tanks along with sustainability in shock loads was a challenge as the upsets were highly shock-inducing.

ETP Details:

The industry had primary treatment, biological treatment, and then a tertiary treatment.

Previous Capacity
Flow (current) 450 KLD
Flow (design) 450 KLD
Type of process ASP (parallel tanks)
Capacity of AT-1 350 KL
Capacity of AT-2 350 KL
Retention Time 37.33 hours(combined)
Challenges: 
Parameters (PPM) Avg. Inlet parameters  Avg. Outlet parameters (MBR Outlet)
COD 4000-8000 3200-6000
BOD 2600-5800 1200-3800
TDS 7000 1000
PAH 1450 1000
Operational Challenges:
  • The primary treatment was working at 5% efficiency in terms of COD reduction.
  • The biological treatment worked at an average 20-25% efficiency in terms of COD reduction.
  • They were struggling to control the higher PAH levels, and it was inducing shock loads, as explained earlier.
The Approach:

The industry partnered with us to commission their Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) and Aeration Tank with increased capacity and restart the ETP at its full capacity in terms of hydraulic load.

We adopted a 3D approach that included:

Research/Scrutiny:

Our team visited their facility to go through the process of the new Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and to scrutinize the value-addition factors.

Analysis:

We analyzed the 3-month cumulative data of their ETP to see trends in the inlet-outlet parameters’ variations and the permutation combinations related to it.

Innovation:

After the research and analysis, our team curated customized products and their dosing schedules with formulation, keeping in mind the plan of action to get the desired results.

This process is called bioaugmentation.

Desired Outcomes:
  • Development of strong biology to withstand shock loads and prevent upsets.
  • Making ETP more efficient regarding COD/BOD and PAH degradation.
  • Reduction in FOG (Fats, Oils, and Grease).
Execution:

Our team selected the product:

For Aeration Tank:
  1. T1B Aerobio: consists of blends of several strains of aerobic and facultative microorganisms, usually bacteria, along with key trace elements on a complex inert media.
For Oil/Grease Trap:

2. T1B FOG BioBloc:

  

Our plan of action included:
  • The addition of T1B Aerobio was also done every day with a reduction in the dosing every 10 days.
  • A total of 150 kgs of T1B Aerobio was used for 60 days of treatment.
  • T1B FOG BioBloc was placed at the O/G trap for FOG reduction.
  • 4 blocks of T1B FOG BioBloc were used for 60 days.
Results:
Parameters
Parameters (PPM) Avg. Inlet parameters  Avg. Outlet parameters (secondary clarifier outlet)
COD 4000-8000 1200-2300
BOD 2600-5800 500-850
TDS 7000 1000
PAH 1450 321

The implementation of the bioaugmentation program resulted in significant improvements in the performance of biological units in their Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP):

  • The COD/BOD degrading efficiency increased from 20% to 70% in the biological system.
  • PAH was also getting degraded up to 77%.
  • MLSS (Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids): MLVSS (Mixed Liquor Volatile Suspended Solids) ratio was optimized.
  • Biomass in the ASP system displayed great stability even during shock load situations.

This sustainable wastewater treatment approach has helped the industry optimize effluent quality, enhance microbial community stability, and ensure compliance with environmental standards.

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Saving operational expenses for pharma business using bioremediation
Saving OPEX for a reputed Pharma Giant using Bioremediation
Introduction: 

The reputed pharmaceutical giant is known for contributing to the global pharmaceutical sector by using  bioremediation. This unit is one of the largest Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) producers that manufactures products such as Tamsulosin, Metformin, Esomeprazole, etc. The Unit has a full-fledged Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) which is a traditional Activated Sludge Process (ASP) system. The unit is committed to treating its industrial wastewater religiously. The unit had an Multi-Effect Evaporator (MEE) installed to treat high COD wastewater stream. Due to the production of multiple pharmaceutical products, the ETP received multiple effluent streams with tough-to-degrade pollutants like toluene, benzene, Metformin, Acetic Acid, Methanol, etc. Due to such high-strength wastewater streams, it was difficult for them to control ETP operations, using bioremediation which led to heavier expenses, specifically on the MEE operation, as it was receiving a heavier load than its designed capacity.

ETP details:

The industry had primary treatment, biological treatment, and then a tertiary treatment.

Flow (current) 450 KLD
Flow (design) 500 KLD
Type of process ASP
No. of aeration tanks 3 (in series)
Capacity of aeration tanks 500 KL, 450 KL, 300 KL  respectively
Retention Time 67 hours(combined)
MEE Details:
Capacity (current) 12 KLD
Current inflow 10 KLD
Inlet COD 150000 ppm
Inlet TDS 60000 ppm
Challenges:
Parameters (PPM) Avg. Inlet parameters  Avg. Outlet parameters 
COD 18000 9900
BOD 5000 3000
TDS 15000 9500
Operational Challenges:
  • The primary treatment system was working at 5% efficiency in terms of COD reduction.
  • The biological treatment system was working at an average 45% efficiency in terms of COD reduction.
  • They were struggling to effectively treat recalcitrant pollutants such as toluene, benzene, Metformin, Acetic Acid, and Methanol, which compelled them to run the ETP at 10% less hydraulic load.
  • A separate high COD stream was directed to MEE, leading to scaling and fouling in MEE.

Volume of stream to MEE: 10 KLD
COD: 150000 ppm
TDS: 80000 ppm

Financial Challenges:
  • Urea-DAP consumption: 2160 Kg/month of Urea and 1200 Kg/month of DAP were required to boost the poor biomass in the biological tanks.
  • Electricity consumption: Due to high COD effluent, the power requirement went up from a normal 14250 KWH to 20250 KWH monthly.
  • Raw Water Consumption: Due to high COD influent, there was a need for higher evaporation, hence around 100000 litres of water was used monthly for MEE.
  • Chemical Consumption: Due to high COD inflow in MEE, there was extensive scaling, due to which the MEE needed frequent cleaning with HCL: 22500 kg/month, EDTA: 11250 kg/month.
Extra Costs incurred per month:
Commodity Units required
Urea(in Biological tank) 2160 kg/month
DAP(in Biological tank) 1200 kg/month
Raw water consumption 100000 litres/ Month approx
HCL (10 % ) 5500 kg/month
EDTA 3200 kg /month
Electricity(MEE) 20250 KWH/month

The MEE cost per liter was coming to Rs. 1820/KL for 10 KLD capacity, while the overall WWTP (Wastewater Treatment Plant) cost to treat 450 KLD effluent swelled to Rs. 200/KLD.

The Approach:

The industry partnered with us to improve the efficiency of their biological units and to reduce operational costs using bioremediation in their WWTP.

We adopted a 3D approach that included:

  1. Research/Scrutiny:
    • Our team visited their manufacturing facility to examine the existing ETP process and scrutinize areas of improvement.
    • The visit helped us explore potential ETP optimization strategies in the biological treatment system.
  2. Analysis:
    • We analyzed the previous 3-month cumulative data of their ETP to observe trends in inlet-outlet parameters.
  3. Innovation (Bioaugmentation):
Desired Outcomes :
  1. Reduction of COD/BOD thereby improving the efficiency of biological tanks.
  2. Degradation of tough-to-degrade effluents and develop robust biomass to withstand shock loads.
  3. Reduction in scaling of MEE by reducing COD in biological systems and saving cost using bioremediation.
  4. Reducing consumption of UREA-DAP.
  5. Cost saving by treating high COD streams in main ETP.
Execution:

Our team selected two bioaugmentation products:

  1. T1B Aerobio:
    • A blend of specialized microbes that secrete enzymes capable of degrading tough pollutants like toluene, benzene, and Metformin.
    • Helps in reducing COD/BOD, stabilizing shock loads, and enhancing biomass stability.
  1. T1B MacMi:
    • A plant-based gel that acts as a nutrient source for bacteria.
    • Replaced UREA-DAP to provide essential macro and micronutrients for microbial growth.

                                       

Plan of Action:
  • Diverting 2 KLD of MEE inlet to the main ETP inlet with COD 150000 ppm.
  • Diverting 3 KLD of MEE reject to main ETP inlet with COD 25000 ppm.
  • Dosing of T1B Aerobio in all three biological tanks.
  • Dosing of T1B MacMi in all three tanks.

Average Inlet COD after the addition of streams: 18406 PPM

Results:
Parameters Inlet parameters  Secondary Outlet parameters (ppm)
COD 18406-19000 ppm 2200 ppm
BOD 9290 to 10000 ppm 1400 ppm 
Cost Saving :
Commodity Units required before treatment Units required after treatment
Urea 2160 kg/month 432 kg/month
DAP 1200 kg/month 240 kg/month
Raw water consumption 100000 litres/ Month approx 50000 litres/Month
HCL (10 % ) 5500 kg/month 4000 litres/month
EDTA 3200 kg /month 2050 litres/month
Electricity(Extra) 675 KWH/day 478 KWH/day

The MEE operational cost reduced to Rs. 1220/KLD, and the ETP cost was reduced to Rs. 160/KLD using bioremediation.

Key Achievements:
  • 85-89% COD & BOD reduction.
  • 20% reduction in ETP OPEX.
  • Full-capacity operations restored using bioremediation.
  • MEE dependency reduced.

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Challenges faced in Adhesive effluent treatment with shock load
Adhesive Effluent Treatment with Shock Load Challenges
Introduction:

The adhesive effluent treatment from a manufacturing industry contains a variety of pollutants, depending on the type of adhesives being manufactured (e.g., water-based adhesives, solvent-based adhesives, hot-melt adhesives, or reactive adhesives). The main pollutants typically found in industrial wastewater treatment for the adhesive industry include:

An adhesive manufacturing plant in Pune with an overall capacity 750 KLD effluent treatment plant (ETP) faced issues due to the presence of certain contaminants such as:

  • VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds): Benzene, Ethyl Acetate, Acetone, etc. (from solvent-based adhesives).
  • Resins & Polymers: Acrylic resins, epoxy resins, polyurethanes, or other polymeric residues.
  • Unreacted Monomers: Styrene, vinyl acetate, acrylates, formaldehyde, etc., which are organic but difficult-to-degrade pollutants contributing to outlet contamination and lower efficiency in COD removal along with imposing shock loads.
Plant Details:
Flow Rate 750 KLD
Inlet COD:  8000-1000 ppm
Inlet TDS 6000 PPM
Aeration Tank 1 Capacity 800 KL
Aeration Tank 2 Capacity 350 KL
COD reduction efficiency of secondary system 40%-50%
Research and Analysis:

The plant’s Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) was comprehensively evaluated to diagnose wastewater treatment challenges through site visits. Key issues identified were:

  • High COD levels caused by organic pollutants and chemical residues.
  • Frequent upsets due to shock loads from multiple industrial effluent streams.
  • Poor microbial performance in the biological treatment system.
  • Unsustainability and low MLVSS (Mixed Liquor Volatile Suspended Solids), leading to inefficient biodegradation of industrial effluents.
Innovation:

T1B Aerobio: Enhancing Biological Treatment Performance

T1B Aerobio is a specially formulated biological treatment solution powered with 76+ robust bacterial strains designed to degrade complex organic compounds in adhesive industry wastewater. Its high-performance microbial strains secrete enzymes that efficiently break down tough-to-degrade contaminants that indigenous microbes fail to degrade.

Execution:
Plant Optimization:
  • Adjusted Return Activated Sludge (RAS) and Waste Activated Sludge (WAS) to enhance the secondary biological treatment system efficiency.
Dosing Regime:

A 60-day microbial dosing schedule was implemented:

  • Phase 1 (Days 1-30): High initial dose to establish a dominant biological culture for effective COD degradation.
  • Phase 2 (Days 31-60): Maintenance dosing to sustain color removal and COD reduction.
Monitoring Parameters:
  • COD and BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) levels.
  • Sludge Volume Index (SVI) and sludge settling characteristics.
Observations:

The addition of T1B Aerobio resulted in significant improvements in adhesive effluent treatment. Key observations are summarized below:

Parameter Day 1 Day 15 Day 30 Day 45 Day 60
COD (ppm) 10,000 7,500 4,700 2,500 945
BOD (ppm) 4,300 2,800 1,200 850 400
SVI (mL/g) 20 25 32 35 40
Results:
  • COD Reduction: Achieved a 91% reduction in COD levels by Day 60, ensuring compliance with environmental discharge standards.
  • BOD Reduction: Achieved a 90% reduction in BOD levels, meeting wastewater discharge norms.
  • Improved Sludge Settling: Optimized Sludge Volume Index (SVI) values, leading to better sludge compaction and reduced carryover.
  • Shock Load Management: Frequent ETP upsets were effectively controlled.
Conclusion:

The application of T1B Aerobio significantly improved the performance of the adhesive industry’s effluent treatment plant (ETP). Enhanced biological treatment facilitated the degradation of hard-to-degrade organic pollutants, stabilized microbial activity, and maintained ETP efficiency under shock load conditions.

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Effluent treatment with ammoniacal nitrogen and COD reduction
Organic Intermediates Effluent Treatment with Ammoniacal Nitrogen and COD Reduction
Introduction:

Effluent treatment in the organic intermediates industry presents significant challenges due to high levels of ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) removal and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction. These industrial effluents often arise from processes such as chemical synthesis, solvent washing, and product separation, resulting in a complex mix of contaminants. High ammoniacal nitrogen wastewater levels not only hinder biological wastewater treatment but also pose serious environmental compliance and regulatory challenges.

An organic intermediates production unit in Gujarat faced operational inefficiencies in its industrial effluent treatment plant (ETP), which used a combined anaerobic-aerobic wastewater treatment system. Persistent high TAN levels (>450 ppm) and COD levels (>20,000 ppm) hindered the plant’s ability to meet wastewater discharge standards.

Plant Details:

Flow Rate: 240 KLD
Aeration Tank Capacity:- 400 KLD
UASB Capacity:- 350 KLD
HRT:-   75 hrs (Total)
The Initial Approach:

A thorough wastewater site assessment and effluent characterization study were conducted. Key challenges identified included:

  • High ammoniacal nitrogen toxicity, impacting biological treatment efficiency.
  • Elevated COD concentration due to refractory organic pollutants.
  • Poor activated sludge quality and microbial performance in the aerobic treatment process.
  • Inadequate nitrification-denitrification process.
Effluent Treatability Study:

A laboratory-scale wastewater treatability study was performed using T1B Aerobio, a specialized microbial bioremediation solution, to evaluate its potential in addressing these challenges. The study focused on:

  • TAN reduction through enhanced microbial nitrification and denitrification.
  • COD biodegradation by targeting hard-to-degrade organic compounds.
  • Sludge management improvement for better settling properties and reduced sludge carryover.

Microscopic analysis and batch reactor trials demonstrated significant microbial adaptation to high TAN and COD levels, validating the efficacy of T1B Aerobio for industrial wastewater treatment.

T1B Aerobio: Enhancing Treatment Performance

T1B Aerobio is a bioaugmentation technology featuring a specialized microbial consortium designed for high-strength industrial effluent treatment. Its robust microbial strains include nitrifiers and denitrifiers that efficiently convert ammoniacal nitrogen to nitrogen gas, while degrading persistent organic pollutants to achieve substantial COD removal efficiency.

Execution:
Plant Optimization:
  • Adjusted aeration rates to maintain dissolved oxygen (DO) levels optimal for nitrification (2.5-3.0 mg/L).
  • Improved hydraulic retention time (HRT) to enhance microbial degradation.
Dosing Regime:

A 60-day bioaugmentation dosing schedule was implemented:

Monitoring Parameters:
  • TAN and COD concentrations.
  • Nitrate and nitrite levels during nitrification process.
  • Sludge volume index (SVI) and microbial activity.
Observations:

The addition of T1B Aerobio microbial culture resulted in substantial improvements in ETP performance. Key observations are summarized below:

Parameter Day 1 Day 15 Day 30 Day 45 Day 60
COD (ppm) 20,000 14,500 8,200 4,500 1,200
TAN (ppm) 450 350 180 90 35
Nitrate (mg/L) 0 75 150 220 240
SVI (mL/g) 180 150 100 80 50
Results:
  • TAN Removal Efficiency: Achieved a 92% reduction by Day 60, ensuring compliance with wastewater discharge limits.
  • COD Removal Efficiency: Realized a 94% reduction, meeting industrial effluent discharge standards.
  • Enhanced Nitrification Process: Consistently high nitrate formation rates indicated effective ammoniacal nitrogen removal.
  • Improved Sludge Settling Characteristics: Reduced SVI values led to better sludge compaction and settling properties.
Graphical Insights:
  • TAN and COD Reduction: Cylindrical charts illustrating the progressive decline in TAN and COD concentrations.
  • Nitrification Efficiency: A line graph depicting the steady increase in nitrate levels over time.
Conclusion:

The application of T1B Aerobio in industrial effluent treatment significantly enhanced the performance of the organic intermediates industry’s ETP. Effective TAN and COD reduction, improved nitrification efficiency, and better sludge quality management ensured compliance with wastewater discharge norms while reducing environmental impact. This sustainable wastewater treatment solution supported the client’s corporate environmental responsibility (CER) goals and contributed to an eco-friendly wastewater management approach.

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Case Study: Dairy Effluent Treatment with T1B™ Anaerobio Bioculture

Introduction:
Effluent treatment is a significant challenge in the dairy industry due to the high organic load and variability in wastewater characteristics. Dairy wastewater primarily contains fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and high levels of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), originating from milk processing, cleaning, and equipment sanitization.

A dairy processing plant in Gujarat faced persistent issues with their effluent treatment plant (ETP), which utilized an anaerobic-aerobic treatment system. The high COD and BOD levels, along with frequent fat and oil accumulation, disrupted the biological processes, resulting in poor treatment efficiency.

Plant Details:

  • Flow Rate: 250 KLD
  • UASB Tank: 750 KLD
  • Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT): 3 days

The Initial Approach:
Our team conducted a detailed site evaluation, including effluent characterization and operational analysis. The following issues were identified:

  1. High COD levels (>15,000 ppm) due to milk solids and cleaning chemicals.
  2. Elevated BOD levels (>8,000 ppm) from biodegradable organics.
  3. Accumulation of fats and oils inhibiting microbial activity.
  4. Insufficient biogas generation in the anaerobic reactor (>30%).

Effluent Treatability Study:
To address these challenges, we performed a laboratory-scale treatability study using T1B™ Anaerobio. Key objectives included:

  • Evaluating the bioculture’s efficacy in degrading dairy effluents.
  • Assessing fat and oil breakdown.
  • Measuring improvements in COD/BOD reduction and biogas generation.

Microscopic analysis and biochemical oxygen demand tests confirmed the suitability of T1B™ Anaerobio for dairy effluents, demonstrating enhanced organic load degradation and microbial activity.

T1B™ Anaerobio: Enhancing Anaerobic Performance
T1B™ Anaerobio is a specialized microbial consortium designed for high-organic-load effluents. Its robust microbial strains effectively degrade fats, proteins, and carbohydrates while improving methanogenesis. The formulation ensures consistent performance even under fluctuating load conditions.

Execution:

  1. Plant Optimization:
    • Desludging the anaerobic reactor to remove inactive biomass and accumulated fats.
    • Optimizing hydraulic retention time (HRT) for consistent loading.
  2. Dosing Regime:
    • A 60-day dosing schedule:
      • Phase 1 (Days 1-30): High initial dose for microbial seeding and system stabilization.
      • Phase 2 (Days 31-60): Maintenance dose to sustain microbial activity and fat degradation.
  3. Monitoring Parameters:
    • COD, BOD, and fat content reduction.
    • Biogas yield (methane content).
    • Sludge granulation and volatile fatty acid (VFA) accumulation.

Observations:
The implementation of T1B™ Anaerobio led to significant improvements in treatment efficiency. Results are summarized below:

Parameter Day 1 Day 15 Day 30 Day 45 Day 60
COD (ppm) 15,000 10,500 6,800 3,500 1,000
BOD (ppm) 8,000 5,200 3,100 1,800 450
Fat Content (mg/L) 500 320 180 80 20
Methane (%) 25% 27.8% 31% 34.5% 42%

Results:

  1. COD Reduction: Achieved a 93% reduction by Day 60, meeting regulatory standards.
  2. BOD Reduction: Realized a 94% reduction, ensuring safe discharge.
  3. Fat Degradation: Effective breakdown of fats, eliminating clogging issues.
  4. Methanogenesis Improvement: Methane content in biogas increased from 25% to 42%, boosting energy recovery.

Graphical Insights:

  1. COD/BOD Reduction: A cylindrical chart illustrating the progressive decline in COD and BOD levels over 60 days.
  2. Biogas Composition: A cylindrical chart showing the improvement in methane content during the treatment period.

Conclusion:
The use of T1B™ Anaerobio significantly improved the performance of the dairy industry’s effluent treatment plant. Enhanced COD/BOD reduction, fat degradation, and biogas production ensured compliance with environmental standards and contributed to the client’s sustainability objectives.

For more information on T1B™ Anaerobio and our wastewater treatment solutions, please visit our website.

Improved COD Removal Efficiency in a CETP Using T1B Aerobio Cultures

Introduction:

A Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) is designed to collect, treat, and discharge effluents from multiple industries. Treating CETP effluent is particularly challenging due to the complex mix of organic and inorganic compounds, heavy metals, and pollutants. The use of bio cultures for CETP wastewater treatment offers a sustainable, cost-effective solution to these challenges.

One of our CETP clients in Gujarat (GIDC) received effluents from diverse sources, including textile, chemical, dyes, intermediate, and food industries. These effluents exhibited high levels of COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand), and color. The CETP, with a capacity of 100 MLD, utilized SBR technology for wastewater treatment.

ETP Flow chart:

  • Treatment Process: Primary treatment → SBR-based biological treatment.
  • Setup: 10 SBR tanks, each processing 10 MLD of effluent.
  • Flow Rate: 10 MLD
  • COD Levels:
  1. Inlet COD: 1500 to 2200 ppm
  2. Outlet COD (post-SBR): 500 to 700 ppm

Challenges:

  • The CETP sought to improve COD removal efficiency and reduce effluent color levels.
  • It required robust and active bacterial cultures for CETP treatment to handle shock loads during peak seasons and maintain performance during winters.
  • Stabilizing the system’s biomass and enhancing its resilience were key objectives.

The approach: It was decided that we go ahead with one of their worst performing SBR tank.  After conducting a lab base trail and WMA, we went ahead with our techno-commercial offer for 10 MLD for one of their SBR. (Please Note: The lab trial carried out is specifically designed to provide a clear indication of whether our microbial consortia can grow in their effluent along with some reduction in the pollution parameters. WMA shows the health of the current biomass which tell us a lot in terms of the biological efficiency and future direction)

 Steps Taken:

  • Assessment of Active Microbes: Analyzed the current status of active microbes and the overall biological efficiency of the system.
  • Lowering MLSS (Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids): Reduced MLSS levels from 4000+ ppm to around 2000 ppm to enable faster stabilization of T1B Aerobio cultures.
  • Bioaugmentation with T1B Aerobio Cultures: Introduced robust microbial consortia into the SBR system, gradually establishing a strong microbial population.

Dosing Schedule:

  • Total Dosing: 900 kg of T1B Aerobio cultures over 2 months.
  • Phase 1 (Month 1): Higher doses to establish microbial activity.
  • Phase 2 (Month 2): Maintenance dosing to sustain efficiency.

Results and discussions:

  • The bioaugmented SBR had better reduction in terms of COD removal more by 25 to 40% as compared to their other SBR tanks.
  • The biomass in the SBR tank was much more stable and robust as compared to biomass in other tanks as per the Wastewater Microbiome Report “WMA” as below.

What is Wastewater Microbiome Analysis (WMA)?

 Microscopic analyses of any biological system should be a critical component of any ongoing daily, weekly, or monthly monitor and control programs in your WWTP.

WMA helps you to correlate the health of the system, any changes in floc structures, higher life forms, oxygen penetration, filamentous identification, polysaccharide coating of the bacteria, and suspended solids can be determined by using a high-end microscope and examining the biomass. WMA can help not only show exactly what the health of the system is at a given time but can also help predict which direction the plant is headed if used regularly. It can also help prevent critical upsets, or can also be used as an early warning and help avoid costly chemical consumption

Key Components of WMA:

  1. Floc Analysis
  • Floc Size Distribution: Determines the settleability of sludge. Ideal floc sizes range from 100 to 5000 µm.
  • EPS/Slime Analysis: Evaluates the floc-forming properties of bacteria, which are critical for stable treatment processes.
  • Sludge Age Analysis: Assesses the biological health of the plant using parameters like SRT and MCRT.
  • Oxygen Penetration: Analyzes oxygen availability within flocs, ensuring aerobic conditions for microbial activity.
  1. Filamentous Biomass Analysis
  • Identifies harmful filaments (e.g., Nocardia) that can cause foaming or bulking.
  • Staining methods like Neisser and Gram staining help classify filaments.
  1. Higher Life Form Analysis
  • Identifies protozoa, metazoa, and other organisms that indicate system health and sludge age.

Basic WMA findings

From the microscopic images of bioaugmented SBR (with T1B Aerobio cultures) and non-bioaugmented SBR (without T1B Aerobio cultures) it can be clearly seen the number, size, structure of sample of sludge from treated SBR shows better quantifiable microbial activities then non treated SBR which can also be seen from the better reduction in terms of COD.

Looking to improve your CETP performance? Choose T1B Aerobio cultures for robust, efficient, and eco-friendly wastewater treatment. Contact us today to transform your effluent management system!

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