Food Wastewater Decolorization Case Study in Vietnam

Food Wastewater Decolorization Case Study in Vietnam

Industry: Food Processing
Application: Wastewater Decolorization & Clarification
Country: Vietnam
Solution: PAC Coagulation + pH Control + PAM Flocculation

Background: Food Industry Wastewater Challenges in Vietnam

Vietnam’s food processing industry has expanded rapidly in recent years, driven by strong domestic demand and export-oriented manufacturing. Along with this growth, food wastewater treatment has become a critical issue for many plants, particularly those involved in sauce production, fermentation, seasoning, and food additives.

High wastewater color, organic load fluctuations, and inconsistent treatment performance are common challenges faced by food processors in Vietnam. As local environmental regulations continue to tighten, reliable and scalable decolorization solutions are increasingly required.

A Vietnamese food processing facility approached Bluwat Chemicals to evaluate a more stable and cost-effective wastewater decolorization strategy.

Client Profile & Key Pain Points

The client operates a medium-to-large food processing plant generating wastewater with the following characteristics:

• Dark color caused by organic pigments and food residues

• Moderate turbidity with unstable suspended solids

• Variable influent quality depending on production cycles

• Difficulty maintaining consistent effluent clarity using conventional coagulants

These issues led to frequent dosage adjustments, higher operating costs, and uncertainty in meeting local discharge standards.

Laboratory Testing Approach: Jar Test Optimization

To address the client’s concerns, Bluwat Chemicals conducted a laboratory jar test using actual wastewater samples from the Vietnam plant. The objective was to verify an optimized chemical treatment sequence that could deliver stable color removal and fast solid-liquid separation.

The tested process included three key steps:

Step 1: PAC Coagulation
Polyaluminium Chloride (PAC) was applied as the primary coagulant to destabilize color-causing colloids and suspended solids.

Step 2: pH Adjustment
The wastewater pH was adjusted to the optimal range of 7–8, enhancing coagulation efficiency and improving floc formation conditions.

Step 3: PAM Flocculation
A selected Polyacrylamide (PAM) grade was introduced to strengthen floc structure, accelerate settling, and improve clarified water quality.

Treatment Results: Improved Color Removal and Process Stability

The jar test results showed clear and repeatable improvements:

• Significant reduction in wastewater color

• Faster and denser floc formation

• Improved supernatant clarity

• Reduced sensitivity to influent fluctuations

The PAC + PAM combination provided a stable treatment window, allowing the client to control chemical consumption while achieving consistent decolorization performance.

Conclusion: A Proven Solution for Food Wastewater Treatment in Vietnam

This Vietnam case demonstrates the importance of application-specific laboratory testing and proper chemical selection in food wastewater treatment. By combining PAC coagulation, precise pH control, and PAM flocculation, food processing plants can effectively reduce color, improve effluent clarity, and enhance operational stability.

Bluwat Chemicals continues to support food industry clients in Vietnam and across Southeast Asia with customized wastewater treatment solutions based on real laboratory evaluation and field experience.