| Abstract | The research was concentrated on five industries which have not
been investigated before and are important in Thailand\'s development. These are the steel, the electroplating,· the battery, the petroleum, and the pharmaceutical industries".·
Six factories of these industries in and around Bangkok city
were surveyed. Each factory\'s manufacturing process and the water and wastewater system were investigated and samples of raw, waste, treated, and stream waters were analyzed for their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. The result of this study indicated that some of the industries do not have the same manufacturing processes as those in developed
countries and wastewater characteristics are different. However, even factories with similar production methods as those in developed countries, have different water pollution problems due to different raw materials processed and dissimilar in-plant management Waste disposal measures in the plant are also ·different. In the factories surveyed, heavy metals, especially lead, iron,
copper, and chromium in the effluents, were discharging quantities exceeding the values that are recommended by WHO. With better housekeeping, efficient operation, together with minor modification of the
treatment plant, the heavy metals content would be substantially reduced.
Discussion and recommendation of water pollution control methods in each plant, taking into consideration local social and economic factors, have been made at the end of each section. |
