APPLICATION OF PLANT SEED BIO-COAGULANT IN THE REMEDIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PAINT EFFLUENT

The discharge of industrial effluents into the environment has been a growing concern worldwide due to its adverse impacts on human health and the ecosystem. Paint effluent, in particular, poses a significant threat due to its high chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), and colour. Conventional methods of treating paint effluent discharge require the use of chemical coagulants, which are expensive, non-sustainable, and can generate hazardous waste. The search for alternative and sustainable methods for treating industrial effluent has led to the exploration of natural coagulants derived from plant sources. One such source is watermelon seeds, which contain significant amounts of proteins that possess coagulating properties. This study aimed to investigate the potential of watermelon seed bio-coagulant (WSB) for the remediation of paint effluent discharge. The effects of the watermelon seed bio-coagulant dosage, pH, and agitation rate on the removal efficiency of the treatment process were evaluated. These results revealed that the bio-coagulant was effective. The optimum coagulant dosage, pH, and agitation rate were found to be 300mg/L,4, and a treatment time of 45 min, respectively, with BOD and COD removal efficiencies of 88.47% and 90.41%, respectively. Statistical optimization of the treatment process was performed using the response surface methodology (RSM). The results revealed that the quadratic model developed using RSM was statistically significant with a high coefficient of determination (R2 =  0.9958). The analysis also revealed that bio-coagulant dosage and pH are the major factors affecting the efficacy of the treatment process. The optimized conditions led to removal efficiencies of88.95% and 90.61% for BOD and COD, respectively, indicating that watermelon seed bio-coagulant could be an effective and sustainable alternative for treating paint effluent. The results of this study suggest that the use of watermelon seed bio-coagulant is a promising approach for optimizing the paint effluent treatment process. It is a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to conventional coagulants used in wastewater treatment and has demonstrated efficacy in treating industrial wastewater. This study presents a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to the treatment of paint effluent discharge using a natural coagulant derived from a waste product.