Treatment of dairy wastewater containing high amount of fats and oils using a yeast-bioreactor system under batch, fed-batch and continuous operation

Abstract

AbstractThis study evaluated the potential of the biosurfactant-producing yeast Candida bombicola in treating wastewater containing fats and oils from a dairy industry in a laboratory scale bioreactor. The dairy wastewater contains high chemical oxygen demand (COD) (2,480 mg/L) and fats and oils (407 mg/L) and was supplemented with sugarcane molasses (1% w/v) and yeast extract (0.1% w/v) to support the growing yeast in batch, fed-batch, and continuous operations. The yeast was able to remove fats and oils completely (more than 95% COD removal) under batch and continuous operation. The study suggested that wastewater containing high fats and oils can be efficiently treated using C. bombicola.