An Evaluation of Biological Approach for the Effluent Treatment of Paper Boards Industry - An Economic Perspective

The environmental problems of paper board industry are not limited by the high water consumption, generate wastewaters and solid wastes. This paper presents the paper board industry effluent treatment plant components performance and physio-chemical characteristics of wastewater and sludge. In ETP operation most important factors is effluent characterization, flow rate, aeration tank dissolved oxygen (DO) level, mixed liquid suspended solids (MLSS), food to micro-organism ratio (F/M), sludge volume and chemical addition for nutrients and coagulant. The wastewater is characterized by extreme quantities of pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and the solid waste from ETP sludge is characterized by SEM –EDX and ICP. The wastewater samples were collected from the partied of one month influent and treated effluent. An influent consist pH of 7.1-7.7, TSS of 1160-1380 mg/L, TDS of 1500-2000 mg/L, BOD and COD varies 200-250 mg/L and 2010-1286 mg/L respectively. The treated effluent of pH varies 7.1-7.3, TSS 10-20 mg/L, TDS ranges from 1500-1900 mg/L, BOD and COD ranges from 7-16 mg/L and 54-145 mg/L, respectively. Further solid waste in the form of sludge handled through mechanical dewatering devise (belt press). The result shows that the performance of effluent treatment plant based on the permissible limits prescribed by regulatory agencies and can be recycle an entire treated effluent into the board manufacturing process. The fixed capital cost was 700 lakhs- Indian Rupees (Rs.) and annual operation and maintenance cost was estimated Rs. 180 lakhs (without RO plant). Reuse of treated effluent in pulp process and sludge in sun dry board manufacturing and composting were adopted to achieve the target of sustainable development for ecological and economical gains.