title: Treatment of wastewater from a whey processing plant using activated sludge and anaerobic processes.
abstract: Wastewater from a whey processing plant was treated in two on-site pilot plants, a three-stage activated sludge plant and an anaerobic reactor, each of which had the capacity of treating 230 L/h of wastewater. The activated sludge treatment was very effective. It reduced 99% of 5-d biochemical oxygen demand of the plant wastewater (from an average of 1062 to 9 mg/L) and 91% of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (from 109 to 10 mg/L) after a total retention time of 19.8 h. The intermediate 5-d biochemical oxygen demand reductions were 86% after 3.8 h in the first stage and 97% after another 8 h in the second stage. The completely mixed anaerobic reactor reduced only 87% of 5-d biochemical oxygen demand after 2 d of retention. However, with an additional 8 h of activated sludge treatment the total 5-d biochemical oxygen demand was reduced by 99%. Both pilot plants were operated smoothly in spite of the considerable fluctuations in pollutant levels of the plant wastewater.
authors.affiliation: Civil and Structural Engineering Department, University of Hong Kong.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000818:Animals; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002611:Cheese; D003611:Dairy Products; D005511:Food Handling; D007785:Lactose / Q000378:metabolism; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D000067816:Whey Proteins
chemical_list: D008894:Milk Proteins; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D007785:Lactose