Reduction of Total Suspended Solids, Turbidity and Colour of Palm Oil Mill Effluent using Hybrid Coagulation-Fltrafiltration Process

Authors

  • W. Q. Ng Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • S. O. Lai Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • K. C. Chong Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • S. S. Lee Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • C. H. Koo Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • W. C. Chong Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11113/amst.v23n1.144

Abstract

High consumption and production of palm oil have led to the massive generation of palm oil mill effluent (POME). This study was intended to reduce the total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity and colour using hybrid coagulation-ultrafiltration process. POME was pre-treated with coagulation process using polyaluminium chloride (PAC) and optimization of operating condition for coagulation process was performed. The coagulation results revealed that optimum pH, dosage of coagulant and rapid mixing speed were pH 4, 600 mg/L and 200 rpm, respectively. It achieved the highest percent reduction of TSS, turbidity and colour with 99.74%, 94.44% and 94.60%, respectively. Ultrafiltration (UF) membrane was fabricated using polyethersulfone (PES), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and titanium dioxide (TiO2­) nanoparticle. Different concentrations ranging from zero and 1.0 wt% of TiO2 nanoparticles were added into the dope solution. The characterization studies of UF membranes confirmed that higher concentration of TiO2 provided higher pure water permeability and more porous structure in the UF membranes. The amount of TiO2 in membrane only affected the permeate flux but had no obvious effects on the reduction of TSS, turbidity and colour. The optimum transmembrane pressure was found to be 3 bar, resulting in the greatest reduction of TSS, turbidity and colour.

Author Biographies

S. O. Lai, Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

Associate Professor, Department of Chemical EngineeringDirector, Division of Community and International Networking

K. C. Chong, Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

Senior Lecturer, Department of Chemical Engineering

S. S. Lee, Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

Lecturer, Department of Mechanical and Material Engineering

C. H. Koo, Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering

W. C. Chong, Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

Lecturer, Department of Chemical Engineering

References

A. L. Ahmad and C. Y. Chan, 2009. Sustainability of Palm Oil Industries: An Innovative Treatment via Membrane Technology. Journal of Applied Sciences. 9: 3074-3079.

Ahmad, A., Chong, M., Bhatia, S. and Ismail, S. 2006. Drinking Water Reclamation from Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) using Membrane Technology. Desalination. 191(1-3): 35-44.

Ujang, F., Osman, N., Idris, J., Halmi, M., Hassan, M. and Roslan, A. 2018. Start-up Treatment of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) Final Discharge Using Napier Grass in Wetland System. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 368: 012008.

MPOB. 2014. Oil Palm & The Environment (updated March 2014). [online] Available at: http://www.mpob.gov.my/en/palm-info/environment/520-achievements [Accessed 19 Aug. 2018].

Ahmad, A., Sumathi, S. and Hameed, B. 2006. Coagulation of Residue Oil and Suspended Solid in Palm Oil Mill Effluent by Chitosan, Alum and PAC. Chemical Engineering Journal. 118(1-2): 99-105.

Zainal, N. 2018. A Review on the Development of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (Pome) Final Discharge Polishing Treatments. Journal of Oil Palm Research. 29(4): 528-540.

Ahmad, A., Ismail, S. and Bhatia, S. 2003. Water recycling from Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) using Membrane Technology. Desalination. 157(1-3): 87-95.

Azmi, N. and Yunos, K. 2014. Wastewater Treatment of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) by Ultrafiltration Membrane Separation Technique Coupled with Adsorption Treatment as Pre-treatment. Agriculture and Agricultural Science Procedia. 2: 257-264.

Ebeling, J., Sibrell, P., Ogden, S. and Summerfelt, S. 2003. Evaluation of Chemical Coagulation–flocculation Aids for the Removal of Suspended Solids and Phosphorus from Intensive Recirculating Aquaculture Effluent Discharge. Aquacultural Engineering. 29(1-2): 23-42.

Imen, F., Lamia, K., Asma, T., Neacute ji, G. and Radhouane, G. 2013. Optimization of Coagulation-Flocculation Process for Printing Ink Industrial Wastewater Treatment Using Response Surface Methodology. African Journal of Biotechnology. 12(30): 4819-4826.

A. Al Rawi, Sami & Nenov, Valentin & Aidan, A & Al Essawi, Essa. 2014. Optimization of Coagulation Process in High Turbidity Discharged from Ceramic Factories. International J.Of Multidispl. Research & Advcs. In Engg. (IJMRAE). 6: 69-80.

Teh, C., Budiman, P., Shak, K. and Wu, T. 2016. Recent Advancement of Coagulation–Flocculation and Its Application in Wastewater Treatment. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 55(16): 4363-4389.

Farajnezhad, H. and Gharbani, P. 2012. Coagulation Treatment of Wastewater in Petroleum Industry Using Poly Aluminum Chloride and Ferric Chloride. [online] Available at: http://www.arpapress.com/Volumes/Vol13Issue1/IJRRAS_13_1_25.pdf [Accessed 25 Aug. 2018].

Ahmed, S., Ayoub, G., Al-Hindi, M. and Azizi, F. (n.d.). The Effect of Fast Mixing Conditions on the Coagulation-Flocculation of Highly Turbid Suspensions Using Magnesium Hydroxide Coagulant.

Yu, L., Han, M. and He, F. 2017. A Review of Treating Oily Wastewater. Arabian Journal of Chemistry. 10: S1913-S1922.

Juholin, P. 2016. Hybrid Membrane Processes in Industrial Water Treatment. Separation and Recovery of Inorganic [online]. 29-33.

Ang, W., Mohammad, A., Hilal, N. and Leo, C. 2015. A Review on the Applicability of Integrated/Hybrid Membrane Processes in Water Treatment and Desalination Plants. Desalination. 363: 2-18.

Norulaini, N., Zuhair, A., Hakimi, M. and Kadir, M. 2001. Chemical Coagulation Of Setileable Solid-free Palm Oil Mill Effluent (Pome) for Organic Load Reduction. Journal of Industrial Technology. 10(1): 55-72.

Guillen, G., Pan, Y., Li, M. and Hoek, E. 2011. Preparation and Characterization of Membranes Formed by Nonsolvent Induced Phase Separation: A Review. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 50(7): 3798-3817.

Li, J., Xu, Z., Yang, H., Yu, L. and Liu, M. 2009. Effect of TiO2 Nanoparticles on the Surface Morphology and Performance of Microporous PES Membrane. Applied Surface Science. 255(9): 4725-4732.

Thuyavan, Y., Anantharaman, N., Arthanareeswaran, G. and Ismail, A. 2016. Impact of Solvents and Process Conditions on the Formation of Polyethersulfone Membranes and Its Fouling Behavior in Lake Water Filtration. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology. 91(10): 2568-2581.

Downloads

Published

2018-12-05

How to Cite

Ng, W. Q., Lai, S. O., Chong, K. C., Lee, S. S., Koo, C. H., & Chong, W. C. (2018). Reduction of Total Suspended Solids, Turbidity and Colour of Palm Oil Mill Effluent using Hybrid Coagulation-Fltrafiltration Process. Journal of Applied Membrane Science & Technology, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.11113/amst.v23n1.144

Issue

Section

Articles