A review on anaerobic biofilm reactors for the treatment of dairy industry wastewater

Dairy Wastewaters – General Characteristics and Treatment Possibilities – A Review

“…The amount and characteristics of the wastewater depend largely on the factory size, applied technology, eff ectiveness and complexity of clean-in-place (CIP) methods, good manufacture practices (GMP), etc. (3,4). However, the introduction of GMP can reduce the world's wastewater mean volume from 0.5-37 to 0.5-2 m 3 of effl uent per m 3 of processed milk (3,19).…”

“…(3,4). However, the introduction of GMP can reduce the world's wastewater mean volume from 0.5-37 to 0.5-2 m 3 of effl uent per m 3 of processed milk (3,19). Nowadays, the designed volumetric load is 1 m 3 of effl uent per tonne of manufactured milk (4).…”

“…where C is contaminant concentration in wastewater (g/ m 3 ), L is the loss of milk and milk products in diff erent technological production cycles expressed in proportional units (m 3 or t), C 1 , C 2 and C n are contaminant concentration per unit of milk or milk product loss (g/t), and N 1 , N 2 and N n are wastewater discharge per unit of milk or generated milk products (m 3 /t) (18).…”

“…The dairy industry includes the transformation of raw milk into pasteurised and sour milk, yoghurt, hard, soft and cott age cheese, cream and butt er products, ice cream, milk and whey powders, lactose, condensed milk, as well as various types of desserts (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6). The general distinctions among these foods are due to the reuse of non--fat milk and whey (a by-product in cheese manufacturing) and the evaporation of the free water from the coagulum as well as from milk and whey powders (5).…”

“…The general distinctions among these foods are due to the reuse of non--fat milk and whey (a by-product in cheese manufacturing) and the evaporation of the free water from the coagulum as well as from milk and whey powders (5). With the rapid industrialisation observed in the last century (4) and the growing rate of milk production (around 2.8 % per annum), dairy processing is usually considered the largest industrial food wastewater source, especially in Europe (1)(2)(3)7). Moreover, in around 50 % of the world's whey production, especially concerning acid whey, it is untreated prior to disposal (8)(9)(10).…”