Applicability of various pretreatment techniques to enhance the anaerobic digestion of Palm oil Mill effluent (POME): A review

Abstract

Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is a potential source of renewable energy. With the intensified energy demands in various industries, if the biogas production from POME treatment can be sustained, the palm oil industry can be made more environmentally and economically sustainable. The current POME treatment process is ineffective in removing residual oil and creates a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the limitation of the treatment process is the instability of the anaerobic digestion stage, which is affected by various operating parameters. Subsequently, the chemical and physical characteristics of POME vary depending on different factors, such as the harvest season and the efficiency of the palm oil extraction process. Therefore, having an effective pretreatment system can radically reduce the load on the anaerobic digesters, sustain biogas production, and enhance the treated effluent quality so that it can conform to the stringent environmental standards. The focus of this paper is to review the pretreatment methods (treatments undertaken prior to anaerobic digestion, which contributes to enhancing the hydrolysis step).

Bioenergy Potential from Agricultural Residues and Industrial Wastes in Indonesia

“…In (BOD) values 14) . 19) . So converting POME into biogas, which can be tapped for renewable fuel for electricity, is not only solving energy distribution system in the remote area but also contributes to the efforts to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases 14) .…”

Utilization of moringa oleifera and nanofiltration membrane to treat palm oil mill effluent (POME)

“…The mills use an open digester system in the confined treatment area. Nonetheless, palm oil mill effluent treatment with current technologies faces various drawbacks, i. e., large treatment area, growth and metabolic activities of microorganisms, long retention time, and expensive [9][10][11][12]. Therefore, the pretreatment is essential to remove pollutants from palm oil mill effluent.…”

The impact of thermal pretreatment on various solid-liquid ratios of palm oil mill effluent (POME) for enhanced thermophilic anaerobic digestion performance

“…Amongst these pretreatment techniques, some have been commercialized and implemented on the full scale (e.g., thermal pretreatment: conventional heating) whilst others are still at research stages (e.g., chemical pretreatment: advanced oxidation) (Tyagi and Lo, 2011). Pretreatment technologies are known to significantly enhance the anaerobic digestion process as they prominently ameliorate the digestion rate, lessen the retention time, and increase the biogas production (Khadaroo et al, 2019b).…”