If sugar refining wastewater is discharged directly without treatment, it will cause serious harm to the aquatic environment and ecosystem, mainly in the following aspects:
1. Depletion of dissolved oxygen in water, leading to black and smelly water bodies. Sugar refining wastewater contains high concentrations of carbohydrates, proteins, pectin, and other organic matter. When these substances are decomposed by microorganisms in the water, they consume a large amount of dissolved oxygen, causing the water body to be in a hypoxic or even anaerobic state, resulting in black and smelly water, seriously affecting the sensory properties and self-purification capacity of the water body.
2. Harm to aquatic life and disruption of ecological balance. Hypoxia in the water will directly cause fish and other aquatic organisms to suffocate and die. At the same time, pigments, persistent organic matter, and trace amounts of toxic substances (such as pesticides or chemical additives remaining in some sugar refining processes) that may be contained in the wastewater will further poison aquatic organisms and disrupt the balance of the aquatic ecosystem.
3. Causing eutrophication. Wastewater contains nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which, after discharge, will promote the excessive reproduction of algae and other aquatic plants, leading to eutrophication. The massive proliferation and subsequent decomposition of algae further exacerbates oxygen consumption, creating a vicious cycle that leads to the collapse of the aquatic ecosystem.
4. Impact on Water Resource Utilization Value: Polluted water cannot be used as drinking water, agricultural irrigation water, or industrial water, increasing the cost of water treatment. Some sugar refining wastewater has high color and abnormal pH values, increasing the difficulty and cost of reuse even after treatment.
In conclusion, sugar refining wastewater is a type of industrial wastewater with high concentration and high pollution load. Its direct discharge not only severely pollutes water bodies but also poses a long-term threat to the ecological environment and human health. Therefore, it must be effectively treated before being discharged in compliance with standards.
