Environmental Engineering

Economic growth and Industrial wastewater technologies

Submitted by:
Mr. Ali Awad

M Tahir Rasheed
BCHE-FA17-027
Contents
1. Abstract .................................................................................................................................................... 2
2.Introduction............................................................................................................................................... 2
3.Technologies .............................................................................................................................................. 3
4.Importance ................................................................................................................................................ 3
5.Activated Sludge........................................................................................................................................ 4
6.Constructed Wetland ................................................................................................................................ 4
7.Membrane filtration ................................................................................................................................. 4
8.Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 4
9.References ................................................................................................................................................. 5
 Economic growth and Industrial wastewater technologies

1. Abstract
Industrialization plays an important role in a country's economic growth and development.
Pakistan is a developing country that relies heavily on its industrial sector to help its sustainable
economic growth, but the increase in the number of industries has also resulted in a rapid increase
in pollution due to mismanagement of industrial effluents. . Many technological solutions are
available for wastewater treatment, ranging from conventional treatment methods to advanced
technologies. However, selecting an optimal waste water treatment technology (WWTT) is a
difficult task due to the various alternatives available and the multiple criteria involved in the
selection process. To solve this problem, the purpose of this document is to evaluate different
WWTTs against certain predefined criteria and select the most suitable technology using a multi-
criteria decision making approach (MCDM). In this survey, five WWTTs used in Pakistan were
evaluated against ten criteria using VIKOR's fuzzy method. The results of the study show that
activated sludge is the most suitable technology for industrial wastewater treatment in Pakistan in
first place, followed by membrane filtration and sequential batch reactor in second and third place
respectively. The study provides a scoreboard for decision makers in Pakistan to select the most
appropriate technology for wastewater treatment. The selected alternative can be further
implemented in existing and future industrial areas to reduce the ever increasing water pollution
in Pakistan

2.Introduction
The industrial sector of any country plays a fundamental role in its economic development. The
industrial sector meets people's needs by providing products in the form of goods and services. It
also provides employment opportunities for people, helping to increase per capita and reduce
poverty. In the 18th century, the industrial revolution was the main phenomenon that led to the
transition of most developing countries to a developed state. Pakistan, which is a developing
country, also relies heavily on its industrial sector to contribute to its sustainable economic growth
and development. Pakistan's industrial sector accounts for approximately 18% of gross domestic
product (GDP). Although Pakistan's industrial sector is playing a vital role in economic
development, there are still many concerns regarding the amount of pollution caused by industries.
Currently, Pakistan is facing many environmental problems due to industrialization. Among them,
the mismanagement of industrial wastewater is one of the serious threats to the environment. This
wastewater from various industries is not only degrading the environment but also causing many
serious and damaging effects on human health and aquatic life. In Pakistan, several companies,
namely textiles, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, petrochemicals, food industries, steel factories and
fertilizers, are contributing significantly to water pollution. Currently, in Pakistan, about 1,228
registered industries out of 6,634 are considered highly polluting. Discharging industrial waste
into nearby rivers, lakes or canals and mixing raw industrial wastewater into clean water causes
water pollution. The increased amount of organic and toxic materials in industrial wastewater is a
major source of water pollution in Pakistan. Wastewater contains harmful chemicals, and most
industries discharge this water without proper treatment into nearby lakes, canals and rivers,
polluting the water. This raw industrial wastewater has a drastic impact on agriculture when it is
adsorbed on agricultural land. Salts and harmful chemicals are absorbed into the soil and can
accumulate at the root and cause detrimental effects on crop growth. The ions present in industrial
wastewater can easily change the substantial and reflected properties of the soil, including oil
composition, particle distribution, and soil stability. Additionally, these sewage pollutes domestic
water causing serious health problems such as immune suppression, reproductive failure, and acute
poisoning.

3.Technologies
Different technologies are available for wastewater treatment depending on the type and nature of
the treatment process. The wastewater treatment process also depends on the type of effluent as
different industries have different by-products with different chemical compositions. For example,
contaminants present in the wastewater of the steel industry include BOD (Biochemical Oxygen
Demand), COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand). ), metals, cyanides and phenols. In the wastewater
of the textile industry, the contaminants present are BOD, chromium and sulphates. Likewise, in
the chemical industries, heavy metals, organic chemicals, suspended solids, and COD are the main
pollutants. Additionally, wastewater from the pulp and paper industry includes chlorinated organic
compounds, dioxins, COD, BOD and solids. Due to the variability in the chemical composition of
wastewater from different sectors, the treatment process must be implemented specifically for the
type and nature of the effluents produced. In this sense, artificial wetlands, lagoons, percolating
filters, activated sludge, sequential batch reactors, membrane bioreactors, etc. are some of the most
important technologies used by industries to eliminate toxic pollutants. The selection of a
particular WWTT is a multi-criteria decision which involves consideration of several important
criteria such as all requirements, plant costs, operational safety, manpower requirements and
environmental impact. An optimal and sustainable alternative for wastewater treatment must work
well in all three dimensions of sustainability, i.e. it must be economical, must not have drastic or
undesirable impacts on the environment, must be accepted by society and be sure to operate.
Selecting an optimal wastewater treatment technology will help the industry treat wastewater
efficiently and effectively.

4.Importance
The availability and access to clean, safe and affordable drinking water is one of the important
sustainable development goals highlighted and set by the United Nations General Assembly in
2015. In developing countries such as Pakistan and India, unfortunately The rapid Population
increase and the resulting increase in water pollution, accompanied by mismanagement and
overuse of water resources, are potential obstacles to achieving this goal. According to Pakistan's
national statistics, only 56% of the total population has access to drinking water. But by world
standards for safe, non-toxic water, only 25.61% (23.5% rural and 30% urban) of Pakistan's
population have access to this basic need. Water pollution is mainly due to human activities,
including the improper dumping of municipal and industrial waste and non-critical applications of
agricultural chemicals.
5.Activated Sludge
It is a biological process and is used in many industries for industrial wastewater treatment.
Eliminates biological matter that contains carbon, nitrogen, ammonium and phosphorus. It uses an
aeration tank and a sedimentation tank for biological flocs. Primary treated industrial wastewater
containing organic organisms mixes with air to form biological flakes. Mixed liquor is a
combination of industrial water and biological mass. There is a chemical and biological reaction
that occurs in the aeration tank that helps reduce biological waste. Waste disposal depends on a
number of factors, including time, influencing load, temperature, and oxygen supply. Then the
remaining mixed liquor is introduced into a settling tank and the treated water is separated.

6.Constructed Wetland
It is an ecological technique used for the treatment of industrial wastewater. Sometimes, before
applying this process, industrial wastewater has to be treated primarily, but not in all cases. Various
plants and herbs are grown in the wetland and on the roots, leaves and stems of these plants grow
microorganisms that break down the organic industrial waste present in industrial waters. Carbon
dioxide is absorbed by plants in humid areas and releases fresh air.

7.Membrane filtration
It is an economical process in which membranes of different porous sizes are used to separate
pollutants from industrial wastewater. Force is applied to move industrial wastewater across the
membranes. The membrane can also remove micrometer-level particles from wastewater, thus
outperforming other wastewater alternatives in terms of effluent quality.

8.Conclusion
In this regard, the study proposed three alternatives for wastewater treatment, namely activated
sludge, membrane infiltration and built wetlands, used in Pakistan. These selected alternatives
were then evaluated on the basis of ten decision criteria selected from literature review and expert
input. The evaluation results show that the criterion that plays the most important role in the
selection of the waste water treatment alternative is the "efficiency" of the waste water treatment
plant followed by the "cost" and "safety" of the plant. . Pakistan is a cost-oriented market where
the industrial sector emphasizes the selection and implementation of efficient processes and
procedures with the lowest cost, thus giving a high preference for cost over other criteria.
Comparison of the first three WWTTs shows that activated sludge works best on "cost" criteria,
followed by sequential batch reactor and membrane filtration in the second and third. The
evaluation results show that the criterion that plays the most important role in the selection of the
waste water treatment alternative is the "efficiency" of the waste water treatment plant followed
by "cost" and "safety". "of the plant.
9.References
1.)https://www.statista.com/statistics/383256/pakistan-gdpdistribution-across-economic-
sectors/#:~:text=Distribution% 20of%20gross%20domestic%20product%20(GDP)%20across%
2.)20economic%20sectors%20Pakistan%202018&text=In%
202018%2C%20agriculture%20contributed%20ar