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Effect of tamarind kernel powder for treating

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Poll Res. 33 (3) : 519-523 (2014)
Copyright © EM International
ISSN 0257–8050

EFFECT OF TAMARIND KERNEL POWDER FOR TREATING DAIRY

INDUSTRY WASTEWATER
D. SIVAKUMAR1, V. BALASUNDARAM2, G. VENKATESAN3 AND S.P. SARAVANAN4
1,2,3,4
Department of Civil Engineering, Vel Tech High Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr. Sakunthala Engineering College,
Avadi, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

ABSTRACT
The effectiveness of Tamarind kernel powder, a cheap agro-based product, as a coagulant was
evaluated to remove COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate present in a dairy industry
wastewater. Experiments were carried out by adding Tamarind kernel powder to the dairy industry
wastewater at different dosages, different rapid mixing contact time and slow mixing contact time.
Maximum removal of 87.8%, 91.5%, 85.72%, 89.30%, 82.46% and 84.2% respectively for COD, TDS,
BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate was obtained at an optimum dosage of 70 mg/L, maximum
removal of 82.8 %, 87.7%, 81.74%, 86.57%, 80.11% and 85.04% respectively for COD, TDS, BOD, TS,
turbidity and sulphate was obtained at an optimum rapid mixing contact time of 10 min. and
84.6%, 89.4%, 83.20%, 86.78%, 82.11% and 87.04% respectively for COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity
and sulphate was obtained at an optimum slow mixing contact time of 30 min. The results
indicated that the use of Tamarind kernel powder, as a coagulant to remove COD, TDS, BOD, TS,
turbidity and sulphate present in a dairy industry wastewater seems to be an economical and
worthwhile alternative over conventional methods.

KEY WORDS : Physico-Chemical Parameters, Dairy Industry Wastewater, Tamarind

kernel Powder

INTRODUCTION that there are several methods like physical,

The dairy industry is a major source of food
processing wastewater. Dairy industry wastewater
generally contains a high organic load, due to the
presence of diluted milk/milk products, and
contains significant quantities of cleaning and
sanitizing compounds (Kolhe, et al., 2009). The dairy
industry in India has generated 6-10 L of wastewater
per litre of the milk processed. Wastewater
management in the dairy industry is well
documented, but wastewater production and
disposal remain a problematic issue (Mishap and
Mani, 1993).
In recent years, increasing awareness of both
surface water and groundwater pollution
(Sivakumar, 2011) and its far reaching effects has
prompted concerted efforts towards pollution
abatement (Sivakumar and Swaminathan, 2008;
Sivakumar Durairaj, 2013a). Earlier works revealed
chemical, biological and advanced methods
(Sivakumar, 2013b) to treat both domestic and all
types of industries wastewater (Loo and Liao, 1990),
particularly, the suitability of variety of agro-based
materials like morigaoleifera seed (Ndabigengesere
and Narasiah, 1998; Sivakumar Durairaj, 2013c),
corncob (Nigam and Rama, 2002), groundnut husk,
rice husk, tea leaves carbon, saw dust to treat the
industrial wastewater.
As similar to previous study done on textile
industry wastewater (Sivakumar and Shankar,
2012a, 2012b), the present study aims to determine
an effect of Tamarind kernel powder (Shanthi and
Mahalakshmi, 2012) as a coagulant for removing
chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved
solids (TDS), Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD),
total solids (TS), turbidity and sulphate present in
the dairy industry wastewater at different dosages,
different rapid mixing contact time and different

1
Professor, 2,3,4Assistant Professor
Corresponding author’s email : shri_sivakumar@hotmail.com
520 SIVAKUMAR ET AL
slow mixing contact time. The second order
polynomial model is developed and the same fitted
with the experimental data.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Adsorbent Preparation
Tamarind kernels (Photo 1) were washed with tap
water and then deionized water to remove
particulate material from their surface.
After that, they were dried in an oven at 100 oC
for 24 hr. The dried materials were ground using
ball mill equipment. The ground Tamarind kernel was
then sieved through 300 microns to get uniform
geometrical size for use (Photo 2).
Photo 1. Tamarind Kernel
Photo 2. Tamarind Kernel Powder
Collection and Analysis of Sample
For the present study, the wastewater samples were
collected from dairy industry with the help of air
tight sterilized bottles, took to the laboratory and
then they were stored for analyzing various physico-
chemical parameters. The primary focus of the
present study is to reduce the COD and TDS
concentrations in a dairy industry wastewater using
Tamarind kernel powder as a coagulant. The initial
COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphatevalues
for a dairy industry wastewater are 7628.3 mg/L,
2845.6 mg/L, 5894 mg/L, 3756 mg/L, 468 NTU and
463 mg/L, respectively.
In the present study, the Phipps and Bird jar test
apparatus was used for evaluating and optimizing
the coagulation process. This method consists of
batch experiments involving rapid mixing at the
rotational speed of 100 rpm, slow mixing at the
rotational speed of 20 rpm for enhancing
flocculation process and sedimentation for a period
of 60 min. Dairy industry wastewater was filled in
four glass beakers of 1 litre capacity and was kept in
the Phipps and Bird jar test apparatus for agitation.
In the present investigation, the experiments were
performed at different dosages (varying from
10 mg/L to 100 mg/L at an interval of 10 mg/L),
different rapid mixing contact time (varying from
2 min. to 14 min. at an interval of 2 min.) and
different slow mixing contact time (varying from
5 min. to 40 min. at an interval of 5 min.). Clear
wastewater from each beaker after sedimentation
was collected for analyzing COD, TDS, BOD, TS,
turbidity and sulphateas per standard procedure
given by APHA (2005).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Effect of Tamarind kernel Powder Dosage
Fig. 1 shows the effect of Tamarind kernel powder as
coagulant dosage on COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity
and sulphate variations in dairy industry
wastewater with a rapid mixing contact time of 6
min. and a slow mixing contact time of 15 min.
From Fig. 1, it may be observed that up to 70 mg/L
of Tamarind kernel powder dosage, concentration of
COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate in a
dairy industry wastewater decrease, beyond which
they reached a steady state condition. The
percentage reduction in concentration of COD, TDS,
BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate for a Tamarind
Fig. 1. Effect of Tamarind kernel Powder Dosage
EFFECT OF TAMARIND KERNEL POWDER FOR TREATING DAIRY INDUSTRY WASTEWATER 521

kernel powder dosage of 70 mg/L was 87.8 %, 91.5 Effect of Slow Mixing Contact Time
%, 85.72 %, 89.30 %, 82.46 % and 84.2 % respectively.
Fig. 3 shows the effect of slow mixing contact time
Thus, an optimum dosage for which the maximum
on COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate
removal of COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity and
variation in dairy industry wastewater respectively
sulphate occurs is found to be 70 mg/L (Fig. 1).
with a dosage of 70 mg/L and a rapid mixing
Further, an optimum dosage, which is
contact time of 10 min.
corresponding to the lowest residual COD, TDS,
It can be observed from Fig. 3 that up to 30 min.
BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate obtained for a dairy
slow mixing contact time, the concentration of COD,
industry wastewater were 930.65 mg/L, 241.87 mg/
TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate decrease and
L, 797.75 mg/L, 215.99 mg/L, 767.41 NTU and
beyond which they reached a steady state condition.
207.79 mg/L respectively.
The maximum percentage reduction in
Effect of Rapid Mixing Contact Time concentration of COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity and
sulphate for a slow mixing contact time of 30 min.
Fig. 2 shows the effect of rapid mixing contact time
was 84.6 %, 89.4 %, 83.20 %, 86.78 %, 82.11 % and
on COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate
87.04 % respectively. Thus an optimum slow mixing
variation in dairy industry wastewater with a dose
contact time for which the maximum COD, TDS,
of 70 mg/L and a slow mixing contact time of 15
BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate removal occurs is
min. From Fig. 2, it may be observed that up to 10
found to be 30 min. (Fig. 3). Further, an optimum
min. rapid mixing contact time, the concentration of
slow mixing contact time, which is corresponding to
COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate
the lowest residual COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity
decrease, beyond which they reached a steady state
condition. The maximum percentage reduction in
concentration of COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity and
sulphate was 82.8 %, 87.7 %, 81.74 %, 86.57 %, 80.11
% and 85.04 % respectively for a rapid mixing
contact time of 10 min.

Fig. 3. Effect of Slow Mixing Contact Time

and sulphate obtained for a dairy industry

wastewater were 1174.75 mg/L, 301.63 mg/L,
977.39 mg/L, 258.20 mg/L, 977.39 NTU and 258.20
Fig. 2. Effect of Rapid Mixing Contact Time
mg/L respectively.
Model Development
Thus, an optimum rapid mixing contact time
In this study, the experimental data are fitted with
leading to maximum COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity
second order polynomial regression model. The
and sulphate removal has found to be 10 min.
polynomial models are used to estimate and predict
(Fig. 2). Further, an optimum rapid mixing contact
the shape of response values over a range of input
time, which is corresponding to the lowest residual
parameter values. Polynomial models are a great
COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate
tool for determining which input factors drive
obtained for a dairy industry wastewater were
responses and in what direction. These are also the
1319.69 mg/L, 350.01 mg/L, 1075.71 mg/L, 303.7
most common models used for analysis of designed
mg/L, 1057.20 NTU and 297.65 mg/L respectively.
experiments.
522 SIVAKUMAR ET AL
A quadratic (second-order) polynomial model for
two explanatory variables has the form of the
equation below. The single x-terms are called the
main effects. The squared terms are called the
quadratic effects and are used to model curvature in
the response surface. The cross-product terms are
used to model interactions between the explanatory
variables. The polynomial regression model is given
by
y=a + bx + cx2 .. (1)
in which ‘y’ is predicted value parameters, ‘x’ is
experimental value of parameters, a, b and c are the
constants.
The polynomial equation found from the
experimental data for the removal of COD, TDS,
BOD, TS, turbidity and sulphate in a dairy industry
wastewater is
y = 11.235 + 2.9601 x – 0.0274 x2 (COD)
y = 23.666 + 2.6356 x – 0.0241 x2 (TDS)
y = 18.29 + 2.886 x – 0.0309 x2 (BOD)
y = 19.652 + 2.9125 x – 0.0310 x2 (TS)
y = 16.047 + 2.907 x – 0.0323 x2 (Turbidity)
y = 20.781 + 2.9323 x -0.0312 x2 (Sulphate)
The second order polynomial regression model
data is represented in Fig. 4. From Fig. 4, it may be
observed that the ability of the second order
polynomial regression model is used to describe the
fitness of the experimental data of the present work.
The R2 values obtained from the Fig. 4 is 0.9610,
0.9637, 0.9836, 0.9812, 0.9847 and 0.9789 respectively
for the parameters COD, TDS, BOD, TS, turbidity
and sulphate in a dairy industry wastewater. From
the Fig. 4, it may be found that the second order
polynomial regression model is fitted well with the
experimental data. Thus, from the model studies, it
is concluded that the removal of various parameters
Fig. 4. The Second Order Polynomial Regression Model
for Various Parameters in a Dairy Industry
Wastewater for the Optimum Values of Different
Process Parameters
in a dairy industry wastewater follows the second
order polynomial regression model.
CONCLUSIONS
In the present study, experiments have been
conducted to find out the suitability of Tamarind
kernel powder for removing COD, TDS, BOD, TS,
turbidity and sulphate in a dairy industry
wastewater. The ability of Tamarind kernel powder as
a coagulant for removing COD, TDS, BOD, TS,
turbidity and sulphate in a dairy industry
wastewater with different dosages, different rapid
mixing contact time and different slow mixing
contact time were monitored. The results showed
that maximum percentage obtained at an optimum
dosage of 70 mg/L, an optimum rapid mixing
contact time of 10 min. and an optimum slow
mixing contact time of 30 min. From the model
studies, it may be found that the removal of various
parameters in a dairy industry wastewater follows
the second order polynomial regression model.
Thus, the Tamarind kernel powder is more beneficial
in treating a dairy industry wastewater to a safe
disposal level.
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