Assessment of Waste Water Treatment Plant Efficiency through Physico-Chemical Analysis: A Case Study of I-9 Waste Water Treatment Plant, Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract

This study was conducted at I-9 treatment plant, Islamabad to analyze the physicochemical assessment of
various parameters and heavy metals concentrations in wastewater and to check the wastewater treatment plant
efficiency. Therefore composite wastewater samples were collected from influent, effluent and external streams. Their
results were compared with Maximum permissible limits (MPL) of Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak
EPA). The results of influent, effluent and external stream of wastewater samples are: pH ranged from 6.2 to 6.9, 6.4 to
6.9 and 6.8, EC ranged from 840 to 1250, 830 to 930 and 700 to 890 (μS/cm), Total dissolved solids ranged from 570
to 850, 570 to 630 and 480 to 600 mg/l, total suspended solids ranged from 0.062 to 0.09, 0.008 to 0.42 and 0.068 to
0.069 mg/l, Fluoride ranged from 0.4 to 4.7, 0.8 to 3.5, 1.2 to 2.9 mg/l, Chloride ranged from 48 to 180, 56 to 71 and 44
to 55 mg/l, respectively. Heavy metal concentrations were analyzed by using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS)
and were found that iron ranged from 0.16 to 2.94, 0.75 to 2.055 and 2.673 to 3.374 mg/l and manganese ranged from
0.193 to 0.579, 0.1 to 0.861 and 0.407 to 0.85 mg/l. Similarly, zinc ranged from 1.9 to 2.7, 1.8 to 2.5 and 2.3 to 2.8 mg/l
and Ni ranged from 1.19 to 1.66, 1.15 to 1.56 and 1.11 to 1.21 mg/l. Likewise, lead ranged from 0.32 to 0.6, 0.15 to
0.65 and 1.1 to 1.2 mg/l, chromium ranged from 1.04 to 1.1, 1.06 to 1.11 and 1.1 to 1.11 mg/l, cadmium ranged from
0.2 to 0.4, 0.13 to 0.38 and 0.3 to 0.8 mg/l, respectively. Results of some parameters like nickel, lead, chromium and
cadmium were found above the permissible limits of Pak-EPA. So it is recommended that Waste water should be
treated at industrial territory. Only treated water should be allowed to drain into Lai stream.

Keywords: Wastewater, physicochemical parameters, heavy metals, treatment plant, Pak-EPA.