Addressing wastewater challenges in the dairy industry: a focused case study
Biljana R Cvetković1, Nurgin Memišin2, Zvonko Nježić1
1Institute of Food Technology in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
The Journal of Dairy Research
|September 3, 2025
Summary
Dairy wastewater composition varies significantly with operations, posing challenges for treatment. Adaptive strategies like pH control and nutrient removal are crucial for efficient management and environmental protection.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Water Treatment Engineering
- Industrial Microbiology
Background:
- Dairy industry wastewater is characterized by high variability in composition.
- Current treatment methods often struggle to manage these fluctuations effectively.
- Understanding wastewater characteristics is key to developing sustainable management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the variability of dairy wastewater characteristics based on product type and operational procedures.
- To assess the limitations of existing treatment methods for dairy wastewater.
- To identify key factors influencing wastewater composition and propose adaptive treatment solutions.
Main Methods:
- Collected and analyzed raw and clean-in-place (CIP) wastewater from a Serbian dairy plant over three years.
- Conducted comprehensive physico-chemical and microbiological analyses (pH, protein, fat, carbohydrates, COD, TSS, N, P, E. coli, etc.).
- Utilized Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify key drivers of wastewater variability and seasonal patterns.
Main Results:
- Wastewater volume ranged from 0.2-10 L/L milk, with significant variations in protein, fat, carbohydrates, and total solids.
- pH fluctuated widely (4.41-12.76) due to fermentation and cleaning agents.
- High chemical oxygen demand (COD) and variable microbial loads (E. coli up to 10^3 cfu/ml) were observed.
- Nitrogen and phosphorus levels sometimes exceeded environmental limits.
- Seasonal variations in TSS, microbial loads, COD, and oxygen content were identified.
Conclusions:
- Dairy wastewater is highly complex and variable, necessitating adaptive treatment approaches.
- Effective management requires strategies such as pH control and nutrient removal.
- Combined biological and advanced treatment technologies can enhance efficiency, facilitate water reuse, and minimize environmental impact.
Keywords:
chemical oxygen demand (COD)clean-in-place (CIP)dairy wastewaternutrient removalprincipal component analysis (PCA)More Related Videos
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