Soluble, semivolatile phenol and nitrogen compounds in milk-processing wastewaters.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Food Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Potable water is crucial for food processing, but increasing demand strains resources.
• Wastewater recycling is vital for sustainable food manufacturing, requiring thorough analysis of contaminants.
• Milk processing plants generate wastewater with potential impacts on water reuse.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate trace-level semivolatile organic species in milk factory wastewater.
• To identify phenolic and heterocyclic nitrogen compounds limiting water recycling.
• To compare contaminant profiles in effluent, condensate, potable, and creek waters.

Main Methods:

• Solid-phase extraction techniques for sample preparation.
• Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for trace organic analysis.
• Analysis of wastewater, condensate, potable, and creek water samples from Burra Foods.

Main Results:

• Factory effluent had the highest soluble carbon and target compounds, including methyl phenol and hydroxy indole.
• Synthetic tolyltriazoles in effluent may serve as irrigation markers due to their stability.
• Milk evaporator condensate showed low levels of pyrrolidine and piperidine derivatives like ethylglutarimide.

Conclusions:

• Wastewater effluent poses challenges for water recycling due to high contaminant levels.
• Milk evaporator condensate presents a viable option for water reuse with minimal pretreatment.
• Nitrogen compounds likely originate from milk phosphoprotein degradation; specific compounds identified in potable and creek waters.