A global increase in industrialization has resulted in the rapid growth of textile industries in developing countries, leading to a high rise in the overall discharge of a broad range of pollutants, including dye wastewater, which frequently has mutagenic and carcinogenic effects on humans and animals depending on whether the receiving watercourses are a source of drinking water. In contrast to traditional high-rate wastewater treatment units, passive biological treatment technologies, such as waste stabilization ponds, are a sustainable and cost-effective alternative technology to treat large quantities of contaminated water, especially in places where land costs are low. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of different design variables on dye removal from experimental ponds. The objectives of this study were to: (i) assess the performance of the pond in accumulating dyes; (ii) evaluate the impact of different design variables, such as the presence of Lemna minor L. (Common Duckweed) and/or algae, on the removal of dyes; (iii) assess the effect of other parameters such as dissolved oxygen, pH and redox potential on the removal of dyes; (iv) compare the removal of four different dye types (acid blue 113, reactive blue 198, direct orange 46 and basic red 46) with each other; and (v) compare pond performances under controlled laboratory conditions with those in the semi-natural environment. Findings indicate that the proposed treatment method with L. minor is generally not very effective and that treatment differences between planting designs (L. minor only; algae only; L. minor and algae combined) were rather small. Further research on combining anaerobic with aerobic ponds in sequence is currently in progress. Initial findings indicate greater dye removal efficiencies. This work will contribute to a better understanding of the performance of sustainable vegetated treatment ponds in terms of dye pollution removal in the textile industry.
Publication Date
9/7/2015
Publisher
The 5th World Sustainability Forum (WSF 2015), Basel, Switzerland
م. د. دينا علي ياسين | Dr. Dina Ali Yaseen | 3679