Biological phosphorus removal from edible oil effluent by anaerobic- aerobic sequencing batch reactor

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics and treatability of process wastewater from an edible oil refining industry, which discharge its effluent into a sewer system. The main objective was to assess a laboratory scale treatment process that would produce effluent having a regulatory acceptable phosphate concentration (below 20 mgIL) prior to discharge into municipal sewer system. A single stage laboratory-scale anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor (BPR-SBR) with a total volume adjustable up to 10L was designed for biological phosphorus removal. The BPR-SBR was run at 10 days sludge age, 8 hours hydraulic retention time and organic load of ~ 0.38 kg COD/kg MLSS.d for 158 days to evaluate its performance for bio-P removal efficiency. The BPR-SBR system showed a consistent P removal efficiency of up to 78.40 %, 80.15 % COD and 72.43 % FOG reduction. The laboratory scale study has demonstrated that the SBR technology is suitable for treating wastewater from edible oil producing industry.