Abstract
Fats and oils are the most common pollutants in wastewater, and are usually eliminated through physical processes in wastewater treatment plants, generating large amounts of fats and residual oils that are difficult to dispose of and handle. The degradation of fatty wastewater was studied in a real wastewater treatment plant and a laboratory scale treatment unit. The wastewater treatment plant, located in Chile, was designed for a population of 200,000 inhabitants. It includes an aerobic digester that receives fat and oils retained in a degreaser and treats the fats and oils together with biomass. The biodegradation of fats and oils was analyzed in both wastewater treatment systems. Key parameters were monitored such as the concentration of fats and oils in the influents and effluents, mass loading, and the efficiency of biodegradation. The mass loading range was similar in both wastewater treatment systems. In the experimental activated sludge plant, the biodegradation of fats and oils reached levels in the range of 64% to 75%. For the wastewater treatment plant with an aerobic digester, the levels of biodegradation of fats and oils ranged from 69% to 92%. Therefore, considering the efficiency of the elimination of fats and oils, the results indicated that physical treatment should be replaced with biological treatment so that the CO2 generated by the biodegradation will be incorporated into the carbon cycle and the mass of fats and oils in landfills will be reduced.
Highlights
Oils and fats are essential organic components of municipal and industrial wastewater, and their exact behavior in wastewater treatment processes is not well understood [1]
Many types of anaerobic digesters have been investigated for joint sludge treatment with oil and fat; for example, with a modified thermophilic digester [3], a co-digestion anaerobic of food waste, oils and fats with sewage sludge [4], an adaptation of the microbial community that influenced the conversion of long-chain fatty of oils and fat with municipal sludge [5], and similar aerobic experiences that analyzed the aerobic joint digestion of sludge with fats and oils [6]
The results show the relationship between pork fat and sunflower oil with chemical oxygen demand
Summary
Oils and fats are essential organic components of municipal and industrial wastewater, and their exact behavior in wastewater treatment processes is not well understood [1]. Biological treatment of oily wastewater is not well developed, recent activities in this area have removed notable percentages of oil and grease from wastewater [2]. Many types of anaerobic digesters have been investigated for joint sludge treatment with oil and fat; for example, with a modified thermophilic digester [3], a co-digestion anaerobic of food waste, oils and fats with sewage sludge [4], an adaptation of the microbial community that influenced the conversion of long-chain fatty of oils and fat with municipal sludge [5], and similar aerobic experiences that analyzed the aerobic joint digestion of sludge with fats and oils [6]. Flotation is used in the separation of immiscible or solid fluids and is common in wastewater treatment. Flotation can be achieved by air at atmospheric pressure, by dissolved air under pressure, or by induced air [8]
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