Properties influencing fat, oil, and grease deposit formation.
Fat, oil, and grease (FOG) deposits are the reported cause of 50 to 75% of sanitary sewer overflows in the United States, resulting in 1.8 X 10(6) m3 (500 mil. gal) of raw wastewater released into the environment annually. The objective of this research was to characterize the chemical and physical properties of FOG deposits. Twenty-three cities from around the United States contributed FOG samples for the study. The FOG deposits showed a wide range in yield strength (4 to 34 kPa), porosity (10 to 24%), and moisture content (10 to 60%), suggesting uncontrolled formation processes. A majority of these deposits display hard, sandstonelike texture, with distinct layering effects, suggesting a discontinuous formation process. The results found that 84% of FOG deposits contained high concentrations of saturated fatty acids and calcium, suggesting preferential accumulation.
Keener
Kevin M
KM
Department of Food Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA. kkeener@purdue.edu
Ducoste
Joel J
JJ
Holt
Leon M
LM
D005223:Fats / Q000737:chemistry*; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D018508:Water Purification
D005223:Fats; D012722:Sewage