An investigation of monthly variation of different physicochemical parameters of dairy industry effluent

Abstract

ABSTRACT           Industrialization no doubt enhances the productivity, but also results in release of toxic substances into the environment, creating health hazards. Dairy industry ranks as one of the most polluted industries in India. For cleaning and washing procedures, dairy industry plants generate large volumes of waste water, which is 2.5 times milk volume processed. Dairy effluent contains high load of organic matter. This study was aimed at assessing the monthly variation of different physicochemical parameters of effluent like pH, Temperature, Turbidity, Electrical Conductivity, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Biological Oxygen Demand, Total Solids, Total Dissolved Solids, Total Suspended Solids, Chlorides, Sulfates, Oil & Grease, Proteins, Lipids etc. The pH was recorded for values between 7.3 to 8.2 whereas overall mean value was 7.7±0.37 (S.D.) in all month’s data collected which is ambient for the microbial population to grow. Maximum temperature was reported in May (33°C) while lowest value was reported in December (24°C). Mean value of turbidity was recorded as 762±207 NTU. Maximum EC value was reported in January (650 µS/cm) while minimum value was reported in May (354 µS/cm). BOD values reported were between 268 to 950 mg/lit. Maximum BOD values were reported in August and October while minimum was reported in the month of July. Mean value was recorded at 597±208 mg/lit. COD mean value was recorded at 2184±417 mg/lit. Maximum COD values were observed during August and September while minimum during February to April. TDS was noted down to be between 960 to 1362 mg/lit. TS mean value was around 1412 ± 108 mg/lit. TSS was found to be between 245 to 365 mg/lit during the year 2013-14. Maximum TSS value was reported in November and September while minimum in March. Maximum chloride value was reported in March (562 mg/lit) while minimum in September (256 mg/lit). Mean value of sulfate was 247 ± 98 mg/lit. Mean value for oil and grease was recorded as 163 ± 44 mg/lit. Maximum protein value was reported in November (260 mg/lit) while minimum in the months of May and September (154 mg/lit). Mean value of lipid was recorded to be 600±63 mg/lit indicating obvious variation during batches. The present study has been aimed at procuring dairy industry effluents & characterizing them for different parameters in order to check the fluctuation in organic loads.