Development of anaerobic digestion methods for palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 100; no. 1; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Poh, P.E., Chong, M.F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 2009; [New York, NY]: Elsevier Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air pollution control; anaerobic digestion; Anaerobic treatment; Bacteria, Anaerobic - metabolism; biochemical oxygen demand; biodegradation; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Bioreactors; Bioreactors - microbiology; Biotechnology; chemical oxygen demand; effluents; Environment and pollution; Equipment Design; Food industries; food processing wastes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gas emissions; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Industrial Waste - prevention & control; literature reviews; methane; Methane - metabolism; methane production; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Palm Oil; palm oil mill effluent; palm oils; Plant Oils - metabolism; POME; Refuse Disposal - instrumentation; Refuse Disposal - methods; temperature; UASB; UASFF; Use and upgrading of agricultural and food by-products. Biotechnology; Various methods and equipments; wastewater; wastewater treatment; Japan, Honshu, Kyoto Prefect., Kyoto; POME; UASFF; UASB; Anaerobic treatment; Palm oil; Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor; Oil plant by product; Anaerobic digestion
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2008.06.022

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is a highly polluting wastewater that pollutes the environment if discharged directly due to its high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration. Anaerobic digestion has been widely used for POME treatment with large emphasis placed on capturing the methane gas released as a product of this biodegradation treatment method. The anaerobic digestion method is recognized as a clean development mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto protocol. Certified emission reduction (CER) can be obtained by using methane gas as a renewable energy. This review aims to discuss the various anaerobic treatments of POME and factors that influence the operation of anaerobic treatment. The POME treatment at both mesophilic and thermophilic temperature ranges are also analyzed.