Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 19 No 4 (2015): 663 - 668

TREATMENT OF PALM OIL MILL EFFLUENT (POME) BY USING ELECTROCOAGULATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD

(Rawatan Efluen Kilang Sawit Menggunakan Elektrokoagulasi Sebagai Kaedah Alternatif)

Suzana Che Sayuti and Abdul Aziz Mohd Azoddein*

Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering,

Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang,Pahang,Malaysia

*Corresponding author: aaziz@ump.edu.my

Received: 17 March 2015; Accepted: 19 June 2015

Abstract

The treatment of palm oil mill effluent (POME) is a crucial stage to prevent from environmental pollution. An alternative method should be implemented to replace the conventional wastewater treatment method. Concentration required by the Department of Environment (DOE) is 200 mg/L for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 100 mg/L for total suspended solid (TSS). Electrocoagulation was used to reduce the amount of COD and TSS in POME. The performance of COD and TSS removal using electrocoagulation was scrutinized. Electrocoagulation reactor was used and the optimum operating parameters were determined. The voltage parameter was manipulated in order to identify the effect on the removal efficiency of COD and TSS. The highest removal efficiency obtained were 95.71% for COD and 99.25 % for TSS in which COD reduced from 4900 mg/L to 210 mg/L meanwhile TSS from 4000 mg/L to 30 mg/L. The final COD almost meets the requirement of DOE of 200 mg/L while TSS fulfil the requirement of 100 mg/L for standard B. The highest efficiency obtained at optimum pH 7.44, electrocoagulation time 25 min and voltage of 100V by using aluminium electrodes. This method was found to be efficient and capable to reduce time of treatment compared to standard conventional method.

Keywords: palm oil mill effluent, wastewater treatment, electrocoagulation, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solid

Abstrak

Rawatan efluen kilang minyak sawit (POME) adalah satu peringkat penting untuk mencegah dari berlakunya pencemaran alam sekitar. Satu kaedah alternatif perlu dilaksanakan untuk menggantikan kaedah rawatan air sisa konvensional. Kepekatan yang ditetapkan oleh Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) adalah 200 mg/L untuk keperluan oksigen kimia (COD) dan 100 mg/L untuk jumlah pepejal terampai (TSS). Elektrokoagulasi telah digunakan untuk mengurangkan jumlah COD dan TSS dalam POME. Prestasi COD dan TSS penyingkiran menggunakan elektrokoagulasi telah diteliti. Reaktor elektrokoagulasi digunakan dan parameter operasi yang optimum telah ditentukan. Parameter voltan telah dimanipulasi untuk mengenal pasti kesan pada kecekapan penyingkiran COD dan TSS. Kecekapan tertinggi penyingkiran yang diperoleh 95.71% untuk COD dan 99.25% untuk TSS di mana COD dikurangkan daripada 4900 mg/L kepada 210 mg/L manakala TSS dari 4000 mg/L kepada 30 mg/L. COD akhir hampir memenuhi keperluan JAS iaitu 200 mg/L manakala TSS telah memenuhi kehendak 100 mg/L untuk standard B. Kecekapan tertinggi diperoleh pada pH optimum 7.44, masa elektrokoagulasi 25 minit dan voltan 100V dengan menggunakan elektrod aluminium. Kaedah ini didapati berkesan dan mampu untuk mengurangkan masa rawatan berbanding dengan kaedah piawai konvensional.

Kata kunci: efluen kilang minyak sawit, rawatan air sisa, elektrokoagulasi, keperluan oksigen kimia, jumlah pepejal terampai

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