Chemical substances present in discharge water generated by laundry industry: Analytical monitoring

Abstract

To our knowledge, precise data concerning the pollution in terms of qualitative and quantitative fluctuations in discharge water from the laundry sector have seldom been reported. This study investigated the chemical composition of the discharge water from a laundry industry. Over 160 chemical substances and 15 standard water parameters were monitored. The results showed that the discharge water presented both inorganic and organic polycontamination with a high degree of qualitative and quantitative variability. However, of all monitored substances, only five metals (Al, Cu, Fe, Sr, and Zn), five minerals (P, Ca, K, Na, and S), and alkylphenols were systematically present and quantifiable. For a daily average water flow of 129 m³, the released metal flux was 356 g/d. Substances, such as trichloromethane, brominated diphenyl ether (BDE) 47, and fluorides, were occasionally found and quantified. Other substances, such as chlorophenols, organo-tins, and pesticides were never identified. All the samples had quantifiable levels in the chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and hydrocarbons. Only the concentrations of Zn (8.3 g/d), Cu (21.4 g/d), and BOD (57.4 g/d) were close to or above the regulatory values: 74.0 g/d for Zn, 9.0 g/d for Cu, and 57.0 kg/d for BOD. The data obtained from this study are useful to the choice of additional treatments for the reduction of pollutant fluxes.