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