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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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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