A Hybrid Coagulation–Microfiltration Approach for Industrial Wastewater Pretreatment

Abstract

Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) frequently receive mixed industrial effluents rich in organic and inorganic pollutants, often exceeding the capacity of conventional biological treatment systems. The present work evaluates the potential of a ceramic microfiltration membrane as a pre-treatment step to improve influent quality prior to CETP processing. Composite wastewater samples from diverse industrial sources were treated by direct membrane filtration and by coagulant-assisted filtration using aluminum sulfate and Moringa oleifera seed powder. An assembly of commercially available membrane (effective area: 0.0407 m²) was operated at a transmembrane pressure of 1.0 kg cm⁻². The membrane was characterized by FESEM–EDS, XRD, XPS, and porosity analyses to determine its structural and compositional features. Preliminary findings showed appreciable improvement in the physicochemical quality of the treated wastewater, including reduced organic and particulate matter and pH stabilization conducive to biological treatment. The study confirms that ceramic microfiltration, when integrated with chemical and natural coagulants, offers a sustainable and efficient approach to enhance CETP operation and industrial wastewater management.