Water quality demands in textile sector

Introduction
The textile industry is the second biggest water consuming sector (after
agriculture). industries process all kind of fibres, the great part are man-made fibres,
while among natural fibres cotton is the most important. Textile industry also consumes
high quantities of dyestuffs and auxiliaries. Processes using high amounts of water are printing
and dyeing .some facts about textile industries are:


Approximately 6 million tons of textile materials are processed each year with a
consumption of 600 million m of water;
Considerable amount of coloured waste water with very heterogeneous composition

More than 10 000 commercial products, corresponding to 4 000 different molecules;
Degradation of commercial dyes in the environment is slow and complicated (high thermal
and photo stability);
Dyes cause a lot of problems in the environment:
high visibility (1 mg/l), absorption and reflection of sunlight;
harmful degradation products, POPs, metals;
degradation products can be toxic or carcinogenic, allergenic;
acute and chronic diseases.


Water Quality Parameters






Note: 1. Where the treated effluent is discharged into municipal sewer leading to terminal treatment plant,
the BOD may be relaxed to 100 mg/l and COD to 400 mg/l
2. The quantity of effluent (litre per kilogram of product) shall not exceed 100, 250 and 80 in composite
cotton textile industry, composite woolen textile industry and textile processing industry, respectively