Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity of Ionic Cupric Solution in Fish Processing Wastewater

Abstract

An increase in fish product demands has an impact on the increment of fish processing wastewater. Wastewater volume and concentration depend on the raw fish composition, an additive used, and unit processing wastewater. Current employed disinfecting treatments are physical, chemical or combination of both methods such as chlorination, ozonation, ultraviolet (UV), chemical destabilization, and membrane process, which often high cost and generate harmful, toxic by-product(s) to human health. This paper studied the usage of copper particles to combat such problems. The copper particle was prepared through the chemical reduction method using ascorbic acid as a capping agent and copper sulfate pentahydrate is a precursor with assisted thermal hydrolysis method. Physical characterization of the copper product was studied through SEM analysis, while its chemical characteristics were observed via XRD, FT-IR. Its effectiveness was determined in terms of COD removal and biological properties were tested using fish processing wastewater from a nearby factory. Copper product was able to reduce COD at the highest concentration at 1000 ppm. The best disinfection efficiency of total coliform was found to be 38.60% by adding an 80uL ionic cupric copper solution of 1000ppm.