Treatment of Wastewater Produced from Tri-Nitro-Toluene (TNT) Factory using Moringa Leaves

Abstract

Moringa Oleifera is a tropical plant, which has been reported to exist in Sudan since 1887. It is used mainly as fences and for water purification .Its roots, leaves, pods; seeds are used as fodder, and as a natural coagulant of turbid water as well as a source of physiomedical compounds. Moringa is a multipurpose tree whose seeds contain a high content of edible oil (up to 40% by weight) and water soluble proteins that act effective in water and wastewater treatment.Tana factory is one of the Sudanese Military factories that make different types of chemicals such as (TNT, DNT, and MNT). The design flow rate of acidic wastewater is 288m3 /day. The pH of the acidic wastewater is 1.20, COD is 72.00, TDS is 7.46 and S-2 is 12.00 mg/l respectively. The acidic wastewater was mixed with 10 w% sodium hydroxide lye and neutralized with agitation in a neutralizing tank. After neutralization the pH of water was raised to six. When the crushed Moringa Oleifera leaves are added to the raw acidic wastewater the results showed a significant rise in pH from 1.20 to 6.80 in 3 hours. This is within the SSMO; NO137 2008.These data included reduction in BOD from 30.00 to 5.00 mg/l which is also within the range of SSMO NO137, 2008. The COD value of the acidic wastewater which is 72.00 mg/l which is also within the range of SSMO, NO137, 2008. The reduction of COD from 72.00 to 10.12 mg/l in 3 hours is satisfactory and less than the SSMO, NO137 2008 range. While the TDS was increased from 7.46 to 12.56 mg/l in 3 hours which matched the SSMO NO137, 2008 range. The sulphide content was significantly reduced within the first 2 hours from 12.00 to 00.001 mg/l satisfying the SSMO; NO137, 2008 requirements.However when wastewater is treated with sodium hydroxide in the first and second stages (HCL and NaNo2) were added for 30 minutes in order to check the existence of (TNT,v MNT, and DNT). The color changed to yellow indicating the end of the reaction and complement of the treatment process, in the third stage H2SO4 is added within 30 minutes in order to check the existence of (TNT, MNT and DNT) the color changed to orange indicating the end of the reaction and treatment process. In the addition to the crushed leaves of Moringa to the acidic wastewater in the first and second stages (HCL and NaNo2) were added within 30 minutes in order to check the existence of (TNT , MNT, and DNT).The color changed to yellow showing the end of the reaction and treatment process. In the third stage H2SO4 is added during 30 minutes to check the existence of (TNT, MNT and DNT), the color changed to brown indicating the end of the reaction and treatment process. The Moringa leaves contain various types of salts and earth metal such as CO. Ca, K, Mg, Na, and Fe. Moringa Oleifera also contains proteins, Ash, Fiber, CHO, and fats. This study has shown that Moringa Oleifera leaves are highly effective in the treatment of industrial acidic wastewater that contains (TNT, MNT, and DNT). It is recommended that a feasibility study has to be carried out for manufacturing tablets of Moringa for acidic wastewater treatment.