RECYCLING OF WASHING AND RINSING TEXTILE WASTE WATER IN COTTON DYEING FOLLOWING AN O3 TREATMENT

Abstract

The present study evaluated the potential of reusing washing and rinsing wastewater after it was treated with ozone (O3). Experimental results showed that 95, 98, and 100% colour removal efficiencies were achieved in a composite wastewater sample at 10, 20, and 30 minutes of O3 treatment, respectively. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and pH values were also found to be decreasing with increasing treatment time. Cotton dyeings were then carried out in O3 decolourized washing and rinsing wastewater using three widely used commercial reactive dyes. Dyedfabric samples were subjected to quality testing in terms of washing, rubbing, and colour difference properties. This study concluded that ozonation was an efficient method for the treatment of textile washing and rinsing wastewater. The treated wastewater was then successfully reused in cotton dyeing without deteriorating the dyeing quality. This method also proved to be environmentally friendly because it did not consume any fresh water and used only discarded wastewater, hence reducing pollution load significantly.