Analysis of Copper from Electroplating Industry Waste Water and its Reuse as Fungicide

Effluent from electroplating industry involved in copper plating and other metal polishing work contain various heavy metal (Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Mn and Zn) which have severe adverse effect on health . The present work analyzes heavy metal present in plating shops for a period of one year. Highest copper metal concentration (27.60 mg/L) was observed during post monsoon at site AB-5, least copper metal concentration (0.23 mg/L) was observed for during monsoon at site AB-2. The waste water was monitored for other parameters (BOD, COD, Alkalinity, Acidity, pH and conductivity) which give quality index of the waste water let off from these industries. After monitoring of the waste water, copper diethyldithiocarbamate fungicide was synthesized under lab condition by precipitation and its solution within pH range of 9-9.2 was prepared. Its effectivity for the cure of fungal disease of potato, tomato, okra, brinjal, sunflower and rose has been studied. Early blight of tomato and potato, Buckeye rot of tomato and leaf spot of sunflower has been successfully cured by copper diethyldithiocarbamate synthesized. Our research paper aims to draw attention towards analysis and removal of copper metal from the waste water discharged from five electroplating units in Agra and recycle of the metal in to its diethyldithiocarbamate fungicide and prove the application of copper diethyldithiocarbamate fungicide in control of fungal disease of potato, tomato and sunflower which have great export and market value.