Enhanced palm oil mill effluent treatment and biomethane production by co‐digestion of oil palm empty fruit bunches with Chlorella Sp. (14th August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ahmad, Ashfaq; Shah, Syed Muhammad Usman; Othman, Mohd Fariduddin; Abdullah, Mohd Azmuddin
• Is Part Of: Canadian journal of chemical engineering. Volume 92:Number 9(2014)
• Page Start: 1636
• Page End: 1642
• Publication Date: 2014-08-14
• Subjects: Chemical engineering -- Periodicals; Technology -- Periodicals; 660.05
• DOI: 10.1002/cjce.22029
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-4034

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="cjce22029-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>Palm oil mill effluent (POME) has high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) and minerals such as nitrogen and phosphorous which can cause severe pollution to the environment and water resources. In this study, aerobic and anaerobic co‐digestion of oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) with <italic>Chlorella</italic> sp. was developed for POME treatment and biomethane production. Higher removal efficiency (56–98 %) of COD, BOD, TOC, and TN after 3 and 7 days' treatment were achieved with microalgae than without microalgae. Using response surface methodology, the highest specific biogas production rate (0.128–0.129 m³/kg COD/day) and biomethane yield (5256.8–5295.8 mL/L POME/day) were achieved with <italic>Chlorella</italic> sp. at 2 mL/mL POME, and OPEFB at 0.12 g/mL POME. Without both microalgae and OPEFB, the methane yield was 1.4‐fold lower. The values for optimum conditions were predicted well by the model within 5 % error.</p> </sec> </abstract>