Challenges Faced By Sugar And Seasonal Beverages Industries In The Biological Wastewater Treatment And Solution
Sugar and seasonal beverages industry in India has conferred significant contribution in the growth of agriculture and socio-economic status of the country. However, the prolonged conventional practices owe lack of awareness for environmental sustainability has led to the contamination of water resources causing degradation of environmental quality.
Wastewater from Sugar and seasonal beverages production is evident for certain reasons. There are some variations in terms of volume, Sugar and seasonal beverage industries are among the leading consumers of water over all industrial sectors. Moreover, sugar and seasonal beverages industries generate wastewater with higher organic content, as opposed to the toxic chemical contaminants commonly found in other industrial wastewater streams but the most significant distinguishing factor for sugar and seasonal beverages industry is the heterogeneity of the effluent produced.
The treatment of wastewater produced has become essential to protect the water bodies from contamination as the scarcity of water is a major issue. The wastewater treatment has now become the part of sugar and seasonal beverages industry but the lack of knowledge and responsibility towards the nature and natural resources causes damage thus there is a central body that looks after the factor to control pollution.
India being the second largest sugar producer in the world after Brazil, still faces challenges in modern technologies and financial losses as the industry is dependent on seasonal agricultural crop sugarcane. The initiatives and programmes to create awareness about modern technologies and sustainability would help them contribute in the green technology. This article would help to know the challenges of sugar and seasonal beverages industries’ wastewater treatment plant and its possible best solution to maintain the sustainability and economy on the operational cost of the plant.
What is biological treatment and its significance?
The wastewater treatment is a step process and each step has its own significance. The primary step helps to remove the undissolved pollutants and maintain the flow rate whereas the secondary process is the paramount in wastewater treatment plant as it removes and controls the dissolved contaminants, reduces BOD and COD, maintain DO and improves water quality and the tertiary step is the one that decides the usage of treated water. The biological systems work on microorganisms and their types as some microorganism work in the presence of oxygen (Aerobic) while some in the absence of oxygen (Anaerobic) whereas a class of bacteria works under combined oxygen (facultative).
Effluent from sugar industries can be distinguished broadly into three categories:
- those that produce only raw table sugar
- those that produce only ethanol, and
- the integrated ones that produce both raw sugar and ethanol.
Biological wastewater treatment systems offer an economical means for removal of organic constituents, making them a popular choice within the food and beverage industry. Still, some aspects of food and seasonal beverage production present challenges for biological treatment, which results into unpredictability, slackness, and even damage to wastewater treatment systems if not countered.
Depending on the type of bacteria, there are majorly two types of biological treatment systems:
• Aerobic Biological systems:
The aerobic biological systems require class of aerobic bacteria that work in the presence of oxygen to degrade high BOD and COD from the effluent in the presence of oxygen and also increases the count of MLSS. The aerobic systems require supply of air from blowers, diffusers in the aeration tank. The commissioning done in the aeration tank system contains microbes that function and increases its number. The organic waste acts as a food for microorganism and thus the microbes start degrading the organic waste resulting into reduction in BOD and COD depending upon the strain of bacteria. The process must be maintained under steady state condition for better results.
• Anaerobic Biological systems:
The anaerobic biological systems require class of anaerobic bacteria (Acetogens and methanogens) that work in the absence of oxygen to degrade high BOD and COD. Mostly Anaerobic system is used when organic loads are very high as the acetogens and methanogens work in co-ordination. Acetogens convert the acetates present effluent into volatile fatty acids and while methanogens convert them into methane and carbon di oxide as the end products. The methane gas is also known as biogas and is utilized as a gaseous fuel.
Major problem faced by sugar industry to recommission Wastewater system:
The seasonal recommissioning of wastewater treatment plant in such industries become essential as the seasonal crops are the driving force of such industries.
The extant systems present in the sugar industries are mostly conventional that operates on deficient technologies, outdated machinery equipment, and non-economic ways of production. Almost sugar industries in India are small scale having inefficient supply chain coordination, which makes large scale production non-viable. On Addition to this, being a seasonal industry, financial issues, conventional mode and lack of resources also burden the system. The operation of effluent treatment plant is also seasonal and hence the intermittent operational process in biological treatment system causes recommissioning of system that causes burden on the plant in terms of finances and also labour.
Thus, the unawareness of betterment and technology, even today, many Industries use cow dung as a primary source to commission the plant. Due to cheaper and easily available source, the industries are unaware of the outcomes of using cow dung. Although it has bacteria that helps in the reduction of BOD and COD but it may contain pathogens that harms the bacteria and also does not contain selective strains of bacteria to target the specific problem. Its peculiar odour and excessive usage amount occupy larger area forming more sludge.
Characteristics of effluent produced from Sugar Industry:
| Parameter | General (in mg/L) | Standard (in mg/L) |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 4.0-7.0 | 6.5-7.5 |
| COD | 2000-3500 | < 250 |
| BOD | 1000-1500 | < 100 |
| TSS | 400-600 | < 300 |
| TDS | 4000-6000 | < 2000 |
| Oil & Grease | 10-50 | < 10 |
Bioculture: The boon for biological treatment system
In present time, the seasonal industries are unaware of the term “Bioculture”. The Bioculture is a contribution of microbes to the green technology. The Bioaugmentation incorporates naturally selected microbial culture with the capacity to biodegrade resistant compounds in a polluted environment. Comparing microbial biotechnology approaches with the physiochemical approaches, the bioculture is cheaper, safer, sustainable and eco-friendly.
The superiority of microbial culture over cow dung as a commissioning agent is inevitable as the microbial culture is free from pathogens, enduring, easy acclimatization and convenient (free from fermentation). The Bioculture is a boon for biological systems as it does not contain husk particles that can cause clogging as cow dung. Low labor cost and user-friendly nature makes Bioculture different and superior commissioning agent. The operational cost is the major factory to run the plant and Bioculture is one of the leading factors to maintain it. But the unawareness and unwillingness to accept the modification in the mode of operation makes seasonal industries to suffer.
What is Bio Reme Sugar?
Bio Reme Sugar is a blend of multiple consortiums of highly acclimatized bacterial strains of aerobic and facultative microbes which used to degrade number of organic compounds from sugar effluent, these microbes are capable to give fast commissioning of ETP during seasonal sugarcane processing.
Using of Bio Reme sugar microbial strain offer easy, effective, economic and ecofriendly technique to treat sugar industry effluent. These Bacteria rapidly secret enzymes that digest macromolecules and breakdown complex compounds like glucose, sucrose, cellulose, fibrose solid and oil & grease into simpler form.
Why Bio Reme Sugar?
- Degrade high COD & BOD.
- Reduce foaming in biological tank.
- Reduce plant commissioning time.
- Stabilize shock load.
- Improve overall efficiency of the plant.
- Effective under most environment condition.
Area of Utilization of Bio Reme Sugar:
- Membrane Bio reactor
- Activated sludge Process
- Sequencing batch reactor
- Moving bed bio reactor
- Extended Aeration system
The Bioculture is a boon for effluent treatment plant of seasonal industries and its durability and our organization Greencraft labs is leading in front to create awareness about microbial culture to contribute in the green technology and sustainability as we believe in “Crafted with devotion for greener world.” Our organization is working tirelessly to ensure that wastewater treatment can be done with ease and excellent outcome. Our research and development team also ensures that we provide the best bio solution to the wastewater treatment sector with the best of all.
Ayushi Kushwaha
Solution Consultant
She has done M.tech in Chemical Engineering from HBTU, Kanpur. She has got published several papers in prestigious publications.