Characteristics of Raw Wastewater from Albanian Dairy Processing Plants and Some Treatment Options

Abstract

Article InfoThe dairy industry has undergone an increasing pressure to improve its environmental performance because of wastewater discharges characterized by high chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, nutrients, organic and inorganic matter. The pressures for change have resulted from ongoing changes in environmental legislation. The government of Albania has started to impose very strict rules and regulations for the effluent discharge to protect the environment. This paper presents the data obtained from the physical chemical analysis performed in wastewater effluents generated from dairy processing plants in Albania. Analysis of raw and pretreated wastewater have been carried out. Frequent wastewater samplings have been made according to peak plant production. The composite samplings have been made to the effluent flow before mixture with the stream water body. We collected 12 samples from a big dairy plant (with continuous production process) that discharges wastewaters into a water stream flowing into the Adriatic Sea shore. The samples were analyzed for pH, conductivity, COD, BOD 5 , suspended solid content, organic nitrogen, phosphorus as orthophosphate and chloride. Analyses were done according to methods outlined in Metodi Analitici per le Acque (APAT).The analytical data obtained even after preliminary treatment were still higher than Albanian Standards permissive norms respectively 3800 (mg/L), 7700 (mg/L), 2850 (mg/L), 90 (mg/L), 28 (mg/L), 70 mg/l. It is necessary for dairy companies to be forced by legal or economic pressures to reduce the amount and concentration of pollutants in their effluent streams. The problem is more serious for the companies that discharge their wastewater directly into rivers, which is the case for some dairy plants located in the northern region of Albania. Basing on the results we recommend that dairy industry should seek other options to improve environmental performance. Some proper alternatives are mentioned and recommended in this paper as well.