Studies on Industrial Wastewater Drained in Freshwater Sources in Egypt and its Biological Purification

Abstract

Seasonal variations of physico-chemical characteristics and phytoplankton growth were studied for three factories. The study comprises the choice of two different industries (Alum and Fertilizer Factories) which discharge their wastes in Ismailia canal at AbouZa’abal Al-Qalubia and one industry (Sugar factory) which discharges its wastes in River Nile at Al-Hawamdia EL-Giza in Egypt. The discharged industrial effluents into the water bodies are a major threat to the aquatic life. Water samples were collected seasonally during 2010 - 2011 from Ismailia canal and River Nile. Physico-chemical parameters, nutrients, heavy metals and biological parameters were done for these water samples which receives effluents from different categories of pollutants. The physico-chemical parameters aretemperature, pH, EC, DO, COD, BOD, TSS, TDS, total alkalinity, nutrients (NO3, NH3 and PO4), as well as major ions (Ca, K, Na, Mg, SO4 and Cl) and heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Al, V, St, Si and Zn). Among these water quality certain parameters were within the acceptable limit. However, others exceeded the acceptable range of sustainable human using. The results showed correlation between some physico-chemical parameters and phytoplankton standing crop during different seasons and showed that Sugar factory area was more polluted than the other factories areas.The phytoplankton communitywas represented by 157 species belonging to 81 generaand 6 algal groups: Bacillariophyceae (30 species), Chlorophyceae (71 species), Cyanophyceae (44 species), Euglenophyceae (7 species), Dinophyceae (3 species) and Cryptophyceae (2 species), arranged according to their dominance. Also the present study showed the importance of the use of vinasse (by-product of sugarcane industry) with different concentration (0.01 to 0.03) and (0.1 to 0.3) and at two periods of incubation (21 and 35 days)as a medium for cultivation of three microalgaeSpirulinaplatensis, Nostoc commune(blue green algae) and Chlorella vulgaris(green algae)for biomass production. The results showed that the best concentration for Chlorella vulgaris was0.3% and 0.01% and 0.2%for Nostoc commune andSpirulinaplatensisrespectively and the period of 35 days was better for their growth than 21 days.

Key wards: water quality, Ismailia Canal, River Nile, Spirulinaplatensis, Nostoc commune, Chlorella vulgaris, vinasse, Fertilizer Factory, Alum factory, Sugar factory and pollution.