1.

Low Cost Dairy Wastewater

Treatment Using Constructed
Wetland
M. Deepak

M. Tech Environmental

Engineering

student

SRM

University, Kattankulathur

J. S. Sudarsan, V.T. Deeptha, G. Baskar

Asst Professors, Department of Civil Engineering, SRM
University, KattankZJJathur
e-mail ID:sudarsanjss@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Water and wastewater treatment facilities for
metropolitan areas are mainly 'concrete and steel'
constructions,
leading to high treatment costs for
conventional treatment processes. Semi-urban and
rural areas cannot afford such high costs and
therefore they normally just dump the wastewaters
after minimal treatment, leading to pollution of
surface and groundwater bodies. The search for cost
effective and environmentally
sound ways to control
water pollution
has led to renewed interest in
constructed
wetlands. Many small communities
abroad are finding it easier and less expensive to go
in for wastewater treatment through constructed
wetlands, and research on the treatment process is
also fast increasing.
The constructed
wetland
consists of a basin or channel with a barrier to
prevent seepage.' The bed is filled with a suitable
depth of po 1'0us media. The media also supports the
root structure of vegetation. Thus a constructed
wetland is made to mimic the function of a natural
wetland, and which is allowed to mature naturally
over a number of days. A preliminary study is being
done on a pilot-scale constructed wetland planted
with Typha species to treat industrial wastewater
at SRM University. The wetland unit consists of a
PVC tub of 70x40x30 cm. The system is built with a
slight slope of 1 %) between inlet and outlet zones.
Furthermore, the bed was filled to a height of 7 cm
with gravels with a diameter of ranging from 10 to
30 mm, followed by a 7 cm thick top layer of sand
(D 10 = 2 mm) and finally the remaining portion of
wetland cell was filled with sandy clay soil. The
results are showing good reduction in the organic
impurities. The advantage of this system is that it
can be used where some land is available, and blends
with nature. Even a small-scale treatment system
will be enough to prevent the contamination
of the
natural water sources.
Key words: Constructed
Industrial wastewater.

wetland, Typha spp,

Volume2012-13. Number 2. July 2012

Introduction

India has the largest livestock population in

the world. It has 57 percent of the world's buffalo
population and 16 percent of the cattle population.
The dairy industry is a well established industry
and India is known for "Operation
flood" also
referred as "White Revolution". The generation of
wastewater is due to washing of equipments, milk
spillage, other milk products waste, wash-down of
yard area containing urine and manure, detergents,
spilled milk, and can have adverse effect on
environment
due to high BOD5, COD, TSS and
nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, which
cause eutrophication.
For the treatment
of dairy
wastewater, conventional plants are normally used
but they cause numerous
problems which are
tedious and not cost effective.
For low cost
wastewater
treatment,
constructed wetlands are beneficial. Constructed
wetlands are small artificial wastewater treatment
systems consisting of one or more shallow treatment
cells, with herbaceous vegetation that flourish in
saturated or flooded cells. There are two basic types
of constructed
wetlands,
Free Water Surface
constructed
wetlands
(Fws)(a) and Vegetated
Submerged Bed constructed wetlands (VSB). FWS
wetlands have a combination of open water areas
with some floating vegetation as well as emergent
plants rooted in the soil bottom.
VSB constructed
wetlands,
also known as
subsurface flow wetlands, consist of gravel and soil
beds planted with wetland vegetation.
These
systems have many of the same features of the FWS
but are distinguished by their subsurface hydraulic
gradient.
2.

Characteristics
of dairy wastewater
The values of important parameters in a typical
dairy wastewater sample and in the test sample are
shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Characteristics

Parameter

Typical
Val ue (b)

pH
BOD
COD
Total Solids
TSS
TDS
TVS
Ammoniacal
Nitrogen
Phosphorus

of dairy

7.2
1190
90
4350
720
1020
990

Test
Sample
Value
7.5
1155
550
4300
1896
3050
2905

Test
Sample
(1:10 dilution)
7.3
90
75
566
252
396
385

55
10-15

46.7
12.7

6.53
1.72

All values (except for pH) in mg/l

18

wastewater

M. Deepak, J. S. Sudarsan,

.
The sample used in the study had high COD,
TSS and TDS, and TVS. It is necessary to reduce
the TDS before sending into the wetland unit; else,
they will clog the soil pores and reduce the treatment
efficiency.

3.

Constructionof Constructed

wetland

pilot unit
3.1 CQmponents ofconstructed
wetland
3.1.1 Inlet zone
The primary criteiion for design of inlet
structure is discharge which should be uniform
along the entire width in order to prevent short
circuiting. A 25 liter container is used to provide a
continuous flow of wastewater through the inlet.
3.2.2 Wetland cell
The pilot wetland uniee-n is a PVC container of
length, width and depth of 70 em, 40 cm and 30 cm,
respectively.
3.3.3 Wetland media
The system is built with slight inclination of
1-2% between inlet and outlet zones. The filter
media(c-n consist of a gravel bed underlain by an
impermeable layer of filters. The bed is filled to a
height of 7 cm with gravel of diameter 10-30 mm
followed by a 7 cm thick top layer of sand (diameter
2 mm). The topmost layer of the wetland unit is
filled with sandy clay soil to support vegetation.
3.4.4 Vegetation
Typharo, a local wetland species, is used in the
study. The plants were collected from a nearby lake
and planted in the wetland unit. They are used to
increase the residence time of water by reducing
velocity so as to increase treatment time. They also
add oxygen and provide a physical site for microbial
bioremediation.
The plants have been used to
remove suspended solids, nutrients, heavy metals,

4.3 Wastewater

V. T. Deeptha, G. Baskar

toxic organic com pounds and bacteria from acid mine

drainage, agricultural
landfill and urban storm
water runoff.

3.4.4 Outlet zone

Outlet zone is designed to allow variations in
the level of water discharge.

4. Results and Discussion

4.1

Plant root analysis

It is seen that the plant roots(g) absorb a
considerable amount of nitrogen and phosphorus
from the wastewater, which would otherwise have
entered the groundwater
on release of the treated
water. (Table 2)

Table 2. Plant root analysis

Parameter

Nitrogen
Phosphorus

Before
treatment
mg / kg
1903
187.35

After
treatment
mg / kg
2144.6
204.15

%Increase

12.7
8.97

4.2

Soil analysis
The soil(g) also acts as an efficient filter for
absorption of nitrogen and phosphorus, with 22.6
and 18.6% increase. Thus, the combined action of
the gravel/soil as filter and the wetland plants
reduces
the eutrophication
potential
of the
wastewater (Table 3).

Table 3. Soil analysis

Parameter

Nitrogen
Phosphorus

Before
treatment
mg/kg
20.07
5.20

After
treatment
mg/kg
24.60
6.170

% Increase

22.6
18.6

analysis
Table

cr PARAMETERS
1
INFLUENT
Day EFFLUENT
% Reduction
2
INFLUENT
Day EFFULENT
% Reduction
INFLUENT
3
Day EFFLUENT
% Reduction

pH
7.3
7.1
2.7
7.3
7.1
2.7
7.3
6.9
4.5

4. Wastewater analysis

BOD

COD

TS

TSS

TDS

TVS

AN

90
36
00
90
20
66.6
90
32
64.4

75
60
20
75
52
30.6
75
56
25.3

566
155
72.6
566
140
75.2
566
138
75.6

252
67
73.4
252
58
76.9
252
52
79.3

396
122
69.1
396
118
70.2
396
lOS'
72.7

385
192
50.1
385
111
75.1
385
115
70.1

6.53
4.58
29.S
6.53
4.24
35
6.53
4.09
37.3

1.72
1.47
14.5
1.72
1.11
35.4
1.72
0.989
42.5

Volume2012-13. Number 2. July 2012

19

M. Deepak, J. S. Sudarsan, V. T. Deeptha, G. Baskar

Figure
i--

1. Comparison

chart

of effluent

concentration

in different

days after

treatment.

600
500

~ Day 0 INFLUENT
I 400
'I
I
300

E:3

Day 1 EFFLUENT

Jo

~ Day

2 EFFLUENT

200

~ Day 3 EFFLUENT

100
0
pH

BOD

COD

TS

TSS

TDS

TV'S

AN

From the above figure there is a quite significant

decrease in the concentration
in BOD5, COD, TS,
TSS, TDS and TVS of effluent which is achieved as
shown in Table 4.

Engineering department and undergraduate B. Tech

Civil department
students for their kind support,
without them this project work will not be a great
success.

5.

7.
a)

Conclusion

Constructed
wetlands
have been used
extensively to treat several types(h) of wastewater
and runoff. The dairy wastewater used for treatment
as a raw influent, contains high COD and solids
which is easily treated and removed through a lab
scale model.
The result indicates
that the treatment
efficiency significantly improved within 3 days of
contact time (CT). The highest removal rate was
recorded at the CT of three days and the average
reduction is found as 4.5% for pH, 64.4% for BOD5,
25.3% for COD, 75.6% for TS, 79.3% for TSS, 72.4%
for TDS, 70.1% for TVS, 37.3% for ammoniacal
nitrogen and 42.5% for phosphorus which can be
inferred from Table 4. The results also suggest that
wetland plant species and soil playa significant role
in the treatment of wastewater. CT should be given
special attention in the design of future full scale
facilities.
This shows that the lab scale model of
constructed wetland is working effectively to treat
the dairy wastewater
and the principle of RRR
(Reduce,
Recycle and Reuse) is implemented
successfully in treating dairy wastewater.
6.

Acknowledgement
Authors thank SRM University

b)
c)

d)
e)

f)

g)

h)

i)

S. Khan, 1. Ahmad, M. T. Shah, S. Rehman, A.

Khaliq, August 2009, Pages 3451-3457, Use of

constructed wetland for the removal of heavy metals
from
industrial
wastewater,
Journal
of
Environmental
Management, Volume 90, Issue 11.

and HOD Civil

Volume2012-13. Number 2. July 2012

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