Abstract
Palm oil industries have been significantly contributing towards the economic growth and increase standard of living among the South East Asian countries. However, it has also been identified as the major contributor for discharging the largest pollution load in the form of Palm Oil Mills Effluent (POME) throughout these regions. This paper will focus on the successful running of POME zero discharge Pilot plant based on 5 m3 POME h−1 built at MPOB Experimental Palm Oil Mill, Labu, Malaysia. This piolt study is a cutting edge as no greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere, no discharge of wastewater; low capital investment and low operating cost compared to other existing systems. After a whole year's experiment, the percentage of BOD reading after BioAX treatment below 20 mg/L was 80.76%, and about 30 m3 biogas was produced per m3 of raw POME in AnaEG bioreactors, among which, 57% (v/v) was methane.
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•POME zero discharge Pilot plant, based on 5 m3 POME per h built at Labu, Malaysia.•Pilot plant consistently cut down BOD of discharge water to 20 mg/L was 80.76%.•AnaEG anaerobic bioreactors, produces an average of 30 m3 biogas per m3 of raw POME.•No greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere and no discharge of wastewater.•Low capital investment and low operating cost.