Study of pharmaceutical liquid waste

Abstract

Pharmaceutical industries are now increasing in Bangladesh along with other industries. The liquid wastes of those industries are discharged to nearby natural stream, surface drain, lowland or ditch. The effluents contain some pollution parameters such as pH, ammonia nitrogen, suspended solids, total solids, colour etc. But there is no proper treatment method for safe disposal. As a result this causes death of aquatic life and pollution effect on plants, animals and human. Beximco Pharma, one of the largest Pharmaceutical industries in Bangladesh produces various type of products from different plants. Among them Basic Raw Materials Plant discharges the liquid waste which contain severe pollution load, such as low pH, high ammonia nitrogen content, higher amount of total solids and colour. Plant authority follow a complicated, lengthy and costly treatment method which controls only pH. Concentration of ammonia nitrogen in the existing treated sewage is very high. Total solids and colour are also increased after existing treatment system. All possible methods to reduce ammonia nitrogen are applied in laboratory. The methods are aeration, sedimentation with coagulation, chlorination and biological nitrification (dropping water hyacinth and adding domestic sewage). But obtained no fruitful result. Because there may be some chemicals (which is used in production process) in waste which are not known to us may bound ammonia or nitrogen in