Optimising Wastewater Management Solutions In Textile Industry

The textile industry utilises enormous amounts of water to transfer dye and chemicals to the fabric. Water contains high amounts of contamination such as microfibre, heavy metals, dye and chemicals. These pollutants cause significant environmental damage and disturb the ecosystem if water is released untreated. Therefore, the textile industry must opt for a wastewater management solution to save the ecosystem and contribute to environmental sustainability. 

In this comprehensive blog post, we will learn about textile wastewater and methods to apply wastewater management solutions in the textile industry. 

A] Understanding Wastewater in the Textile Industry

Textile wastewater (TWW) is a type of wastewater that contains a variety of pollutants such as dye, pigments, colourants and surfactants. These pollutants are produced by textile industrial processes such as cleaning, descaling, bleaching, dyeing and printing. Since the textile industry consumes an enormous amount of clean water, it is a leading cause of contaminating 20% of global clean water resources. 

Textile wastewater plays a prominent role in polluting the ecosystem as it is usually released into mainstream water sources without any wastewater treatment. It affects aquatic life and causes water-borne diseases to land-living creatures. 

B] Types of Textile Wastewater

1. Dyeing And Finishing

Dyeing and finishing is a process of dyeing and finishing various textile products. It fulfils the market demands by enhancing the fabric’s colour fastness, gloss and hand feels. The process requires a high amount of clean water to remove dirt and impurities from the textile. These impurities contaminate the clean water and affect the aquatic ecosystem if released untreated.  

2. Printing

Printing is the process of colouring the fabric uniformly to elevate and enhance the look and feel of the textile fabrics. Since printing materials contain chemicals, salts and dyes, they pollute the clean water. They elevate water’s pH level and reduce dissolved oxygen in water. 

3. Washing

Washing is a process of removing excess chemicals from textile fabrics. The process consumes lots of water and creates a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds within water. Consequently, the removal process pollutes the water and causes damage to the aquatic system if left untreated. 

C] Common Pollutants In Textile Wastewater 

1. Chemicals and Dyes

Various types of chemicals and dyes such as acid dyes, mordant dyes, soda ash, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, sulphuric acid, etc are used to colour raw materials and enhance the wearability of the fabrics. These toxic substances degrade the quality of water bodies by increasing the BOD (biological oxygen demands) and thus contaminate the water. 

2. Microfibers

Microfibres or microplastics are usually made from polyester, polyamide and polypropylene. These microfibres travel into the waterways and cause severe damage to the aquatic life. It also provides a base for algae or other harmful bacteria to grow and survive. 

3. Heavy Metals

Heavy metals such as lead, chromium, cadmium and copper are used to colour the fabrics using the pigment method. These heavy metals decrease dissolved oxygen and foster anti-bacterial activities in the water. It hampers the natural water cleaning process and contaminates the water even more.

D] Wastewater Treatment Technologies for Textile Wastewater Management

1. Primary Treatment

Primary industrial wastewater treatment is the crucial first step in sustainable wastewater treatment, involving the settling of the solid waste within the water and other lighter contaminants float on the water surface. The primary treatment process utilises several tanks to remove solid waste (sludge) and lighter pollutants from wastewater. After removal, wastewater is sent for a secondary industrial effluent treatment process. 

2. Secondary Treatment

Secondary treatment utilises aerobic and anaerobic digestion processes to remove subtle biological contaminants and micro-suspended solids. In this secondary industrial wastewater treatment process, aerobic and anaerobic microbes are used to eliminate the organic pollutants from wastewater. The secondary treatment process is highly suitable for textile industry wastewater treatment as microbial activity significantly removes the organic contaminants from wastewater. 

3. Membrane Technologies

Membrane technologies such as MF, NF, UF and RO are utilised to remove heavy metals, suspended solids and organic compounds. It offers an eco-friendly approach to treating textile wastewater. Membrane treatment is a low-cost technology that provides effective textile effluent treatment.

4. Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)

Advanced oxidation is a chemical treatment process that utilises chemical treatment processes to remove the organic contaminants from the wastewater. Organic compounds present in wastewater react with hydroxyl radicals to form an oxidised product which is less toxic to the environment. 

E] Treatment And Reuse

Textile wastewater treatment and reuse processes can be utilised within the industry to create a circular economy. Strategies include:

• Physical Treatment: Removing solids through sedimentation and filtration.
• Chemical Treatment: Neutralizing pH, removing heavy metals, and reducing organic pollutants.
• Biological treatment of textile wastewater: Using microorganisms to break down organic matter.
  
  

Further Read: What Is Biological Wastewater Treatment System and How Does It Work?

Conclusion

The textile industry utilises enormous amounts of water to transfer dye and chemicals to the fabrics. Several studies show that the direct release of untreated textile wastewater into water resources severely impacts aquatic life and land-living creatures. Therefore, it is highly essential to choose discussed textile wastewater treatment technologies to prevent environmental damage and contribute to a pollution-free world. 
PureBact is a leading and renowned manufacturer and distributor of aerobic bacteria culture, offering cost-effective solutions for textile industry wastewater treatment with its range of highly efficient bacterial products. Need more information? Contact us today!