Palestine Polytechnic University

Center of Excellence in Water, Energy and Environment Research and Services

Managing Heavy Metals Contaminated Industrial Wastewater from Inorganic Chemical Industries in the West Bank

Project Name: 
Managing Heavy Metals Contaminated Industrial Wastewater from Inorganic Chemical Industries in the West Bank
Year: 
2017
Abstract: 

Wastewater resulting from local tannery industries in West Bank is contaminated with heavy metals, toxic chemicals, organics, and inorganics. Toxic heavy metals such as Cr, Zn, lead (Pb) and major elements such as manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) affects human health, plant and animal life, as well as the quality of the limited groundwater when it is released to the environment. The project focused on the management and treatment of wastewater polluted with heavy metals generated from local chemical industries (leather tanning) and generalize them to galvanization and aluminum fabrication. The cleaner production (CP) principles (i.e. change in raw materials and process technology) in the leather industry were applied to minimize waste and maximize profit. Furthermore, a process for the treatment of industrial wastewater (lab-scale treatment unit) was designed and investigated. The proposed treatment unit consists of a packed bed adsorption process followed by a proper recycling/disposal of the exhausted adsorbent. The research investigated a second option for the treatment, which included clarifiers, chemical coagulation, and different sludge management options.