The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current condition of palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment and utilization and to propose alternative scenarios to improve the sustainability of palm oil industries. The research was conducted through field survey at some palm oil mills in Indonesia, in which different waste management systems were used. Laboratory experiment was also carried out using a 5 m3 pilot-scale wet anaerobic digester. Currently, POME is treated through anaerobic digestion without or with methane capture followed by utilization of treated POME as liquid fertilizer or further treatment (aerobic process) to fulfill the wastewater quality standard. A methane capturing system was estimated to successfully produce renewable energy of about 25.4–40.7 kWh/ton of fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by about 109.41–175.35 kgCO2e/tonFFB (CO2e: carbon dioxide equivalent). Utilization of treated POME as liquid fertilizer increased FFB production by about 13%. A palm oil mill with 45 ton FFB/hour capacity has potential to generate about 0.95–1.52 MW of electricity. Coupling the POME-based biogas digester and anaerobic co-composting of empty fruit bunches (EFBs) is capable of adding another 0.93 MW. The utilization of POME and EFB not only increases the added value of POME and EFB by producing renewable energy, compost, and liquid fertilizer, but also lowers environmental burden.
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Research Article|
June 17 2015
Palm oil mill effluent treatment and utilization to ensure the sustainability of palm oil industries
U. Hasanudin;
1Department of Agro-industrial Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Lampung, Jl. Sumantri Brojonegoro 1, Bandar Lampung 35145, Indonesia
E-mail: udinha65@gmail.com
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R. Sugiharto;
R. Sugiharto
1Department of Agro-industrial Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Lampung, Jl. Sumantri Brojonegoro 1, Bandar Lampung 35145, Indonesia
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A. Haryanto;
A. Haryanto
2Department of Agriculture Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Lampung, Jl. Sumantri Brojonegoro 1, Bandar Lampung 35145, Indonesia
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T. Setiadi;
T. Setiadi
3Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Bandung Institute of Technology, Jl. Ganesa 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
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K. Fujie
K. Fujie
4Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
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Water Sci Technol (2015) 72 (7): 1089–1095.
Article history
Received:
January 01 2015
Accepted:
June 01 2015
Citation
U. Hasanudin, R. Sugiharto, A. Haryanto, T. Setiadi, K. Fujie; Palm oil mill effluent treatment and utilization to ensure the sustainability of palm oil industries. Water Sci Technol 1 October 2015; 72 (7): 1089–1095. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2015.311
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