(732a) Spatial and Temporal Intensification of Poultry Processing Wastewater Treatment Units Using Stainless Steel Ultrafiltration Membrane

The current treatment of poultry processing wastewater (PPW) requires a large expanse of land, the use of toxic chemicals, and takes time. The wastewater is typically treated prior to discharge. Apart from aiming to reuse the treated water for non-food activities, this project aimed to reduce the footprint and time required for PPW treatment. To intensify the PPW treatment units, we studied the possibility of replacing dissolved air floatation (DAF) with a stainless steel ultrafiltration membrane (SSUF). Combined PPW from all processing units taken before the first DAF was used for this study with no pretreatment. The SSUF used for this study has a pore size of 0.02 µm, and the performance of the SSUF membrane was studied by measuring the flux at 40 psi, 70 psi, and 110 psi transmembrane pressure. The flux was normalized to 250C.
The particle size analysis was carried out to determine the distribution of particles in the PPW. A cleaning procedure that entails using alkali and acid was developed for the SSUF. COD, BOD, TSS, TKN, PH, oil, and grease were measured before and after each experiment. The result shows that the flux became steady at 30 L/m2h after 2 hours of experiment, irrespective of the TMP. The SSUF membrane removed TSS 99.9%, oil and grease 99.9%, COD 90%, BOD 90%, nitrogen 76%, and soluble BOD 60%. The removal efficiency was higher at 110 psi. The result obtained was compared with the data from the industry. Finally, the membrane removed E. coli and coliform up to 99.9%, which validated the pathogen removal ability of the SSUF. In conclusion, the results show that SSUF achieved comparable performance to that of the current treatment used for the PPW treatment.