EFFICACY OF THE VETIVER GRASS SYSTEM IN TREATING TEXTILE INDUSTRY WASTEWATER IN GAZIPUR, BANGLADESH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/mjce.v37.24725Keywords:
Vetiver grass system, wastewater, treated water, non-treated water, treatmentAbstract
Industrial wastewater, characterized by a complex mixture of organic and inorganic pollutants including heavy metals, nutrients, suspended solids, and high levels of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), poses significant environmental and public health challenges. Undoubtedly, understanding the properties of industrial wastewater is crucial for designing effective treatment systems to mitigate environmental impacts and protect public health. The objective of this research is to investigate the efficacy of the Vetiver Grass System, a nature-based phytoremediation approach, for the treatment of textile dyeing industry effluents in Bangladesh. The study of industrial wastewater treatment using the Vetiver System encompasses a wide range of aspects, including ecological, engineering, economic, and social dimensions. The Vetiver System utilizes the unique properties of the Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides) to treat wastewater effectively. The experiment included two systems: one with Vetiver plants placed in industrial wastewater and another without plants as a control. Over 90 days, both systems were kept under the same conditions while key water quality parameters, such as pH, turbidity, COD, BOD, TSS, TDS, heavy metals, nitrogen, phosphorus, and temperature, were tested every 10 days. The Vetiver roots grew by about 116.7%, showing strong absorption of pollutants. Results revealed that the treated water had much lower levels of BOD, COD, TSS, TDS, and nutrients, with no trace of heavy metals, and met the permissible limits set by the Department of Environment (Bangladesh). In contrast, the untreated water remained polluted. Overall, the Vetiver Grass System proved to be an effective, natural, and affordable method for treating industrial wastewater.
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