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Jamaludin NF, Ab Muis Z, Hashim H, Mohamed OY, Lek Keng L. A holistic mitigation model for net zero emissions in the palm oil industry. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27265. [PMID: 38500991 PMCID: PMC10945113 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Achieving net zero emissions to ensure a sustainable future has become increasingly urgent in light of climate change. The palm oil industry in Malaysia plays a significant role in the country's economy but has faced criticism for its environmental impact, particularly in terms of sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions. While the government has implemented policies and initiatives to promote sustainable palm oil production and reduce emissions, there remains a need for a comprehensive and integrated mitigation strategy to help make an informed decision to improve the performance. To address the limitations of the current framework, this study proposes an Integrated Mitigation Strategy Model which incorporates established frameworks of Palm Oil Mill Carbon Accounting (POMCFA) and Sustainability Index (POMSI). This model has been developed based on the superstructure approach, considering a set of mitigation options to improve weak indicators identified through assessments. The selection of these options is informed by a theoretical review of existing literature on factor changes and their impact on emissions reduction. The model is further validated through case studies, ensuring its robustness and reliability. Based on the case study, it reveals that palm oil mill effluent, diesel consumption, and water consumption contribute the most to carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. In terms of sustainability scoring, the environmental aspect obtains the lowest scores compared to social and economic aspects. Weaknesses identified include dust concentration, palm oil mill effluent, and boiler emissions. Using the heuristics of factor changes equation, the mitigation model suggests implementing high-technology boilers as the optimal solution for these weaknesses. With the theoretical and empirical support behind the choice of variables, our model provides a valuable tool for decision-making in achieving net-zero emissions and sustainable palm oil production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabila Farhana Jamaludin
- Centre of Advanced Process Safety, Institute of Contaminant Management, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Perak, Malaysia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Zarina Ab Muis
- Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Haslenda Hashim
- Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Ola Yahia Mohamed
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Lim Lek Keng
- Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia
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Rasool T, Ansar M, Ali I, Ali MI, Jamal A, Badshah M, Huang Z, Urynowicz M. Performance evaluation of gravity-driven bioreactor (GDB) for simultaneous treatment of black liquor and domestic wastewater. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:7043-7057. [PMID: 38157168 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31576-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
A lab-scale gravity-driven bioreactor (GDB) was designed and constructed to evaluate the simultaneous treatment of black liquor and domestic wastewater. The GDB was operated with a mixture of black liquor and domestic wastewater at a ratio of 1:1 and maintained at an average organic loading rate of 1235 mg-COD/L-Day. The wastewater was fed to the primary sedimentation tank at a flow rate of approximately 12 mL/min and subsequently passed through serially connected anaerobic and aerobic chambers with the same flow rate. Each wastewater sample was allowed to undergo a hydraulic retention time of approximately 72 h, ensuring effective treatment. The GDB was actively operated for nine samples (W1-W9) at a weekly frequency. The entire process was conducted within the workstation's ambient temperature range of 30-35 °C to sustain microbial activity and treatment efficiency in an open environment. The performance of the GDB was evaluated in terms of various pollution indicators, including COD, BOD5, lignin removal, TDS, TSS, EC, PO43-, SO42-, microbial load (CFU/mL and MPN index), total nitrogen, and color reduction. The results showed that the GDB achieved promising treatment efficiencies: 84.5% for COD, 71.80% for BOD5, 82.8% for TDS, 100% for TSS, 74.71% for E.C., 67.25% for PO43-, 81% for SO42-, and 69.36% for TN. Additionally, about 80% reduction in lignin content and 57% color reduction were observed after the treatment. The GDB substantially reduced microbial load in CFU/mL (77.98%) and MPN (90%). This study marks the first to report on wastewater treatment from two different sources (black liquor and domestic wastewater) using a simple GDB design. Furthermore, it highlights the GDB's potential as a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and efficient solution for wastewater treatment, with no need for supplementary chemical or physical agents and zero operational costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabassum Rasool
- Department of Microbiology, Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Laboratory, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ansar
- Department of Microbiology, Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Laboratory, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Irfan Ali
- Centre of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ishtiaq Ali
- Department of Microbiology, Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Laboratory, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Asif Jamal
- Department of Microbiology, Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Laboratory, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
| | - Malik Badshah
- Department of Microbiology, Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Laboratory, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Zaixing Huang
- Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Wyoming University, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Michael Urynowicz
- Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Wyoming University, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
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Sharuddin SS, Ramli N, Yusoff MZM, Muhammad NAN, Ho LS, Maeda T. Insights into bacterial community metatranscriptome and metabolome in river water influenced by palm oil mill effluent final discharge. J Appl Microbiol 2023; 134:lxad219. [PMID: 37757470 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxad219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
AIMS This study aimed to investigate the effect of palm oil mill effluent (POME) final discharge on the active bacterial composition, gene expression, and metabolite profiles in the receiving rivers to establish a foundation for identifying potential biomarkers for monitoring POME pollution in rivers. METHODS AND RESULTS The POME final discharge, upstream (unpolluted by POME), and downstream (effluent receiving point) parts of the rivers from two sites were physicochemically characterized. The taxonomic and gene profiles were then evaluated using de novo metatranscriptomics, while the metabolites were detected using qualitative metabolomics. A similar bacterial community structure in the POME final discharge samples from both sites was recorded, but their composition varied. Redundancy analysis showed that several families, particularly Comamonadaceae and Burkholderiaceae [Pr(>F) = 0.028], were positively correlated with biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The results also showed significant enrichment of genes regulating various metabolisms in the POME-receiving rivers, with methane, carbon fixation pathway, and amino acids among the predominant metabolisms identified (FDR < 0.05, PostFC > 4, and PPDE > 0.95). This was further validated through qualitative metabolomics, whereby amino acids were detected as the predominant metabolites. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that genes regulating amino acid metabolism have significant potential for developing effective biomonitoring and bioremediation strategies in river water influenced by POME final discharge, fostering a sustainable palm oil industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siti S Sharuddin
- Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
| | - Norhayati Ramli
- Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
- Laboratory of Biopolymer and Derivatives, Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products (INTROP), Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Z M Yusoff
- Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
- Laboratory of Biopolymer and Derivatives, Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products (INTROP), Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
| | - Nor A N Muhammad
- Institute of Systems Biology (INBIOSIS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia
| | - Li S Ho
- Sime Darby Plantation Technology Centre Sdn Bhd, Sime Darby Plantation, Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
| | - Toshinari Maeda
- Department of Biological Functions Engineering, Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, 2-4 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu 808-0196, Japan
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Yap CTJ, Lam SM, Sin JC, Zeng H, Li H, Huang L, Lin H. Treatment of diluted palm oil mill effluent (POME) synchronous with electricity production in a persulfate oxidant-promoted photocatalytic fuel cell. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:96272-96289. [PMID: 37566326 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29165-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Attributable to the prosperous production growth of palm oil in Malaysia, the generated palm oil mill effluent (POME) poses a high threat owing to its highly polluted characteristic. Urged by the escalating concern of environmental conservation, POME pollution abatement and potential energy recovery from the effluent are flagged up as a research topic of interest. In this study, a cutting-edge photocatalytic fuel cell (PFC) system with employment of ZnO/Zn nanorod array (NRA) photoanode, CuO/Cu cathode, and persulfate (PS) oxidant was successfully designed to improve the treatment of POME and simultaneous energy production. The photoelectrodes were fabricated and characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller analysis (BET). Owing to the properties of strong oxidant of PS, the proposed PFC/PS system has exhibited exceptional performance, attaining chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 96.2%, open circuit voltage (Voc) of 740.0 mV, short circuit current density (Jsc) of 146.7 μA cm-2, and power density (Pmax) of 35.6 μW cm-2. The pre-eminent PFC/PS system performance was yielded under optimal conditions of 2.5 mM of persulfate oxidant, POME dilution factor of 1:20, and natural solution pH of 8.51. Subsequently, the postulated photoelectrocatalytic POME treatment mechanism was elucidated by the radical scavenging study and Mott-Schottky (M-S) analysis. The following recycling test affirmed the stability and durability of the photoanode after four continuous repetition usages while the assessed electrical energy efficiency revealed the economic viability of PFC system serving as a post-treatment for abatement of POME. These findings contributed toward enhancing the sustainability criteria and economic viability of palm oil by adopting sustainable and efficient POME post-treatment technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Ting Joyee Yap
- Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Barat, 31900, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Sze-Mun Lam
- Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Barat, 31900, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia.
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China.
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China.
| | - Jin-Chung Sin
- Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Barat, 31900, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Honghu Zeng
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Haixiang Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Liangliang Huang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Hua Lin
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
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Min Oo Y, Somnuk K. Investigation of free fatty acid reduction from mixed crude palm oil using 3D-printed rotor-stator hydrodynamic cavitation: An experimental study of geometric characteristics of the inner hole. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2023; 98:106472. [PMID: 37348259 PMCID: PMC10314289 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
A continuous esterification process is employed to decrease the free fatty acid (FFA) concentration of FFA-rich mixed crude palm oil. Both optimal and recommended conditions are determined for the esterification reaction conditions and the geometry of the 3D-printed rotor design in the rotor-stator hydrodynamic cavitation reactor. This study is primarily concerned with the effect of the cavitation device configuration, especially the rotor design, on FFA reduction. Instead of conventional spherical or cylindrical drilled holes, a point angle cone-shaped hole is used to create cavities over the rotor surface. These point angles are adjusted to clarify their effect on FFA reduction. The response surface methodology is applied to determine the optimal concentrations of methanol and sulfuric acid, rotor speed, hole diameter and depth, and cone point angle. The recommended conditions are 20.8 wt% methanol, 2.6 wt% sulfuric acid, 3000 rpm, 5 mm hole diameter, 5 mm hole depth, and 110°, respectively. Under this configuration, the FFA content is reduced from 12.014 wt% to around 1 wt%. A maximum yield of 97.34 vol% esterified oil is obtained through a completed phase separation step, and 93.31 vol% pure oil is collected after the cleansing step. The recommended conditions result in reduced chemical usage, cheaper FFA reduction, and lower environmental impact. This creative rotor design effectively improves our understanding of the geometry of the cavitation device, thus enhancing the cavitation effect in industrial operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Min Oo
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
| | - Krit Somnuk
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand; Energy Technology Research Center, Faculty of Engineering, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand.
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Nuid M, Aris A, Abdullah S, Fulazzaky MA, Muda K. Bioaugmentation and enhanced formation of biogranules for degradation of oil and grease: Start-up, kinetic and mass transfer studies. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 341:118032. [PMID: 37163834 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Biogranulation technology is an emerging biological process in treating various wastewater. However, the development of biogranules requires an extended period of time when treating wastewaters with high oil and grease (O&G) content. A study was therefore conducted to assess the formation of biogranules through bioaugmentation with the Serratia marcescens SA30 strain, in treating real anaerobically digested palm oil mill effluent (AD-POME), with O&G of about 4600 mg/L. The biogranules were developed in a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system under alternating anaerobic and aerobic conditions. The experimental data were assessed using the modified mass transfer factor (MMTF) models to understand the mechanisms of biosorption of O&G on the biogranules. The system was run with variable organic loading rates (OLR) of 0.69-9.90 kg/m3d and superficial air velocity (SAV) of 2 cm/s. After 60 days of being bioaugmented with the Serratia marcescens SA30 strain, the flocculent biomass transformed into biogranules with excellent settleability with improved treatment efficiency. The biogranules showed a compact structure and good settling ability with an average diameter of about 2 mm, a sludge volume index at 5 min (SVI5) of 43 mL/g, and a settling velocity (SV) of 81 m/h after 256 days of operation. The average removal efficiencies of O&G increased from 6 to 99.92%, respectively. The application of the MMTF model verified that the resistance to O&G biosorption is controlled via film mass transfer. This research indicates successful bioaugmentation of biogranules using the Serratia marcescens SA30 strain for enhanced biodegradation of O&G and is capable to treat real AD-POME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Nuid
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Water Security, Research Institute for Sustainable Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
| | - Azmi Aris
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Water Security, Research Institute for Sustainable Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia; Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
| | - Shakila Abdullah
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Pagoh Education Hub, Panchor, 84600, Muar, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Mohamad Ali Fulazzaky
- School of Postgraduate Studies, Universitas Djuanda, Jalan Tol Ciawi No. 1, Ciawi, Bogor, 16700, Indonesia
| | - Khalida Muda
- Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
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Wastewater Treatment of Real Effluents by Microfiltration Using Poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) Membranes. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15051143. [PMID: 36904383 PMCID: PMC10007253 DOI: 10.3390/polym15051143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decades, the growing contamination of wastewater, mainly caused by industrial processes, improper sewage, natural calamities, and a variety of anthropogenic activities, has caused an increase in water-borne diseases. Notably, industrial applications require careful consideration as they pose significant threats to human health and ecosystem biodiversity due to the production of persistent and complex contaminants. The present work reports on the development, characterization, and application of a poly (vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) porous membrane for the remediation of a wide range of contaminants from wastewater withdrawn from industrial applications. The PVDF-HFP membrane showed a micrometric porous structure with thermal, chemical, and mechanical stability and a hydrophobic nature, leading to high permeability. The prepared membranes exhibited simultaneous activity on the removal of organic matter (total suspended and dissolved solids, TSS, and TDS, respectively), the mitigation of salinity in 50%, and the effective removal of some inorganic anions and heavy metals, achieving efficiencies around 60% for nickel, cadmium, and lead. The membrane proved to be a suitable approach for wastewater treatment, as it showed potential for the simultaneous remediation of a wide range of contaminants. Thus, the as-prepared PVDF-HFP membrane and the designed membrane reactor represent an efficient, straightforward, and low-cost alternative as a pretreatment step for continuous treatment processes for simultaneous organic and inorganic contaminants' remediation in real industrial effluent sources.
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