Pharmaceutical plants can put in 5 categories
Fermentation plant
Synthetic Organic Chemical Plant
Fermentation and Synthetic Organic chemical plant
Biological production plant( Vaccine plant)
Drug mixing , formulation and preparation plant( Tablet, powder and solution making )
Fermentation plant fermentation process use to manufacture medicinal chemicals.
In synthetic organic chemical plant produce chemical processes to produce medicinal chemical
In fermentation and Synthetic Organic Chemical plant both method use to produce medicinal chemicals.
In Biological production vaccine and ant dots manufactured.
Wastewater generated from pharmaceutical industry vary widely, depending on products and manufacturing process.
Fermentation Plant
Fermentation plant use to produce various pharmaceutical product typical step of process are seed production, fermentation, chemical adjustment of broth evaporation, filtration and drying.
Wastewater generated contain considerable amount of solvent and mycelium.
Synthetic Organic Plant
These plants use various organic chemicals to produce pharmaceuticals. Process include chemical reactions, distillation, filtration, crystallization, drying, etc.
Characteristic of Alkaline Stream of synthetic organic plant
Parameter Range
pH 4-11
Total Solid 11000- 21000 mg/l
Total Nitrogen (TKN) 300 -900 mg/l
BOD5 3000- 4000 mg/l
COD 5000- 8000 mg/l
Chloride 3000 – 4500 mg/l
Characteristic of Acidic Stream of synthetic organic plant
Parameter Range
pH <1
Total Solid 8000 – 10000 mg/l
Total Nitrogen (TKN) 300 -400 mg/l
BOD5 3000-3500 mg/l
COD 7000-10000 mg/l
Chloride 6000 –7000 mg/l
Characteristic of wastewater from biological production plant
Parameter Range
pH 5-6
Total Solid 16000 -22000 mg/l
Total Nitrogen (TKN) 2000 – 2500 mg/l
BOD5 11000- 15000 mg/l
COD 17000 – 25000 mg/l
Wastewater Treatment ( Effluent Treatment) of pharmaceutical Industry
Pharmaceutical Industry use wide range of treatment method to treat and disposal. Of effluent, because characteristics of effluent generate in pharmaceutical varies widely. Wastewater (effluent) of pharmaceutical company contains many useful raw material and by product so industry use pre-treatment and recovery methods also.
Some of waste recovery and control methods listed here;
Install stripping tower for solvent removal
Remove all mycelium
Separate cooling and boiler water from wastewater
Improve housekeeping
Wastewater Treatment (Effluent Treatment) use in pharmaceutical industry can classified in three group
Physio-chemical Treatment
Biological Treatment
Integrated and disposal method
Physicochemical Treatments
Includes screening, equalization, pH adjustment, floculation/coagulation, sedimentation etc.
Biological treatments include activated sludge process, Powdered Activated Carbon Activated Sludge Process, Extended aeration, Oxidation Ditch, Aerated Lagoon, Trickling Filter.
Physicochemical Treatements
Equalization
Pharmaceutical wastewater coming from various processes has variation in characteristic so it require to make homogeneous in characteristic for various treatment and avoid shock loading or fluctuation in pollutant loading. It is better to provide long retention time for equalization.
Neutralizing
Carried out set pH for further treatment because flocculants/Coagulants more effective at some specific pH, same way depends on biological mass active at certain specific pH depends on bio-culture use for treatment
Flocculation/Coagulation
Flocculation carried out to remove load of suspended solids and colloidal particles.
Air Stripping
Sometime air stripping use to remove volatile pollutants.
Biological Treatments
Activated Sludge Process Treatment
Activated Sludge is aerobic process it is used widely in pharma industry it has almost 80 -9 0% BOD, COD removal efficiency.
Powder Activated Carbon Activated Sludge Process
It helps in removal of colour but it may increase oxygen requirement.
Extended Aeration
This biological treatment can reduce BOD, COD up to 70-80%.
Trickling filter
Trickling filter can reduce BOD,COD upto 50%
Anaerobic Filter
Anaerobic filters can reduce BOD,COD up to 90 to 95%
Two stage Biological System
It comprises of Anaerobic digestion followed by activated sludge process it has efficiency to reduce BOD, COD up to 95%.
Suggested Treatment for Wastewater/effluent from pharmaceutical industry.
1.. Oil and Grease Trap
2. Screening
3. Equalization
4. Neutralization
5. Floculation
6. Primary Settling Tank
7. Anaerobic Digester.
8. Activated Sludge Process
9. Secondary Settling Tank
10. Sand Filter
11. Activated Carbon Filter
12 Polishing Tank
[endif]-- ![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--