APPLICATION OF OZONE IN TEXTILE WASTE-WATER TREATMENT

Textile wastewaters are known to be highly resistant to biodegradation under both natural and wastewater treatment plant conditions. However , ozonation can be used to increase the biodegradability of the biolog ically resistant compounds. The combined method of ozonation and subse quent biodegradation of both synthetic and real textile wastes was exp lored in laboratory-scale studies. Two kinds of industrial wastes were simulated for effluents from dyehouse and washing machines. Upon dete rmining the ozonation conditions of synthetic wastes, the real industr ial wastes were investigated. The real textile wastewater was taken fr om textile factories, located in Lodz, Poland, from subsequent stages of textile processing; dyeing, washing, rinsing and from an equalizer tank. Ozonation was carried out in a lab-scale bubble column sparged r eactor, while the biological degradation proceeded in a trickle bed bi ofilter. The effluents before and after the treatment were analyzed ac cording to requirements of the Polish Standards, which included: pH, c olor threshold, COD and BOD5, concentration of anionic and non-ionic s urfactants, and soluble substances. The ozonation of wastes resulted i n an essential increase of biodegradation effectiveness, so only the c ombination of both methods enables an almost complete degradation of t oxic substances and may contribute to conserving and recycling of wate r in textile factories.