Confectionery industry: A case study on treatability-based effluent characterization and treatment system performance

Source-based wastewater characterization and stream segregation provide effective management of industrial wastewaters. The characterization of wastewater sources from a confectionery factory was presented and performance of the wastewater treatment plant was evaluated in this study. All of the wastewater sources in the factory, except the vacuum water line, can be characterized by high concentrations of soluble pollutants and low pH. High organic content of the wastewater generated from the confectionery industry promoted the application of anaerobic technology as a pretreatment before the conventional aerobic treatment. The average chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and biogas production for expanded granular sludge bed reactor were 88% and 1,730 Nm ³/ day, respectively. The effluent from the investigated facility can be used for irrigation provided that conductivity values are within acceptable limits.