A high rate anaerobic ...
Published by Prem Baboo, Researcher at www.researchGate.net
A high rate anaerobic treatment of palm oil mill effluent (POME) was achieved in a two-stage up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The acidogenic reactor acclimated rapidly to the wastewater and was tolerant to a suspended solids (SS) concentration of 5.4 g l−1 in the influent wastewater . In the process of palm oil milling, effluent is generated through the sterilization of fresh oil palm fruit bunches, clarification of palm oil and from hydrocyclone operations. Discharge of palm oil mill wastewater without proper treatment will damage the environment by polluting water and causing a foul smell in the neighborhood of a factory. Continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR) have also been studied for the treatment of palm oil mill effluent. Furthermore, biogas from the closed treatment system can be utilized as a fuel for electricity generation. This form of utilization of domestic natural resources will not only reduce the dependency on foreign fuel imports for electricity generation but also have a lower environmental impact.