MICROCLEAR: GREEN TECHNOLOGY FOR TREATING AND RECYCLING OF COLOURED WASTEWATER

Abstract

The continuous growth and demand for our textiles and textile products have resulted in the generation of highly polluted and coloured wastewater emanating from the textile industries. These are detrimental to the environment and pose health threats to the human population if not properly treated. The treatment of colour is a great challenge over the last decades and until now, there is no single and economical treatment process.  As effective treatment plant is generally expensive and unaffordable; a good alternative and timely solution is the utilisation of specialised group of microbes called Microclear. These microorganisms have the abilities to decolourise and transform coloured compounds into simpler and non-hazardous compounds without the use of chemicals. Intensive fundamental studies and also the application of the Microclear at the bench and pilot scale (sequential 1000 L and 2000 L) reactors to treat real wastewater were carried out. The microbes can also be applied directly into the existing treatment plant or ponding systems without the use of a commercial reactor. . Under the UTM-MTDC symbiosis program, Microclear Sdn. Bhd. was set up and work is in progress for large scale production of microbes to treat real textile wastewater in a demo plant of 150,000 L capacity located at the textile industry.