Recent Developments in Biological Processing Technology for Palm Oil Mill Effluent Treatment-A Review
Debbie Dominic1, Siti Baidurah1
1School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang 11800, Malaysia.
Biology
|April 23, 2022
Summary
Palm oil mill effluent (POME) requires treatment to prevent environmental hazards. Biological methods, particularly using an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor, offer an efficient and sustainable solution for POME waste management.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Biotechnology
- Waste Management
Background:
- Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is a major waste product of palm oil production.
- Untreated POME poses significant environmental and health risks due to its high organic and toxic content.
- Effective treatment is crucial for sustainable palm oil industry operations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and highlight current developments in biological treatment technologies for POME.
- To identify efficient microbial strains and optimal processing conditions for POME remediation.
- To assess the technical and economic feasibility of biological POME treatment.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on microbial POME treatment.
- Analysis of biological processing technologies involving fungi, bacteria, microalgae, and microbial consortia.
- Monitoring of key parameters like BOD, COD, reactor volume, and treatment time.
- Identification of the most effective treatment system based on performance metrics.
Main Results:
- Biological treatments are eco-friendly, technically, and economically viable for POME.
- The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor demonstrated high efficiency.
- Optimal UASB performance achieved 99% COD reduction with a 7.2-day hydraulic retention time and 4.7-liter working volume.
Conclusions:
- Biological processing technologies represent an efficient and sustainable approach to managing POME waste.
- Microbial treatments, especially using UASB reactors, are highly effective in reducing pollutants in POME.
- Further research can optimize microbial strains and reactor designs for enhanced POME treatment.
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