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Potential viable products identified from characterisation of agricultural slaughterhouse rendering wastewater

Brennan, Brian orcid logoORCID: 0000-0003-1869-2140, Gunes, Burcu, Jacobs, Matthew orcid logoORCID: 0000-0003-2069-4030, Lawler, Jenny orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-9947-0958 and Regan, Fiona orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-8273-9970 (2021) Potential viable products identified from characterisation of agricultural slaughterhouse rendering wastewater. Water, 13 (3). ISSN 2073-4441

Abstract
The composition of challenging matrices must be fully understood in order to determine the impact of the matrix and to establish suitable treatment methods. Rendering condensate wastewater is a complex matrix which is understudied. It is produced when the vapour from rendering facilities (heat processing of slaughterhouse waste material) is cooled as a liquid for discharge. This study offers a full physicochemical characterisation of rendering condensate wastewater and its potential for valorisation via production of viable by-products. A study of seasonal variation of levels of dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen and ammonia was carried out on the wastewater. The results show that the wastewater was high strength all year-round, with a chemical oxygen demand of 10,813 ± 427 mg/L and high concentrations of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (1745 ± 90 mg/L), ammonia (887 ± 21 mg/L), crude protein (10,911 ± 563 mg/L), total phosphorous (51 ± 1 mg/L), fat and oil (11,363 ± 934 mg/L), total suspended solids (336 ± 73 mg/L) and total dissolved solids (4397 ± 405 mg/L). This characterisation demonstrates the requirement for adequate treatment of the condensate before releasing it to the environment. While there is a reasonably constant flow rate and dissolved oxygen level throughout the year, higher chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen and ammonia levels were found in the warmer summer months. From this study, rendering condensate slaughterhouse wastewater is shown to have potential for production of marketable goods. These products may include ammonium sulphate fertilizer, protein supplements for animal feeds and recovery of acetic acid calcium hydroxyapatite, thus enhancing both the financial and environmental sustainability of slaughterhouse operations. This work demonstrates a valuable assessment of a complex wastewater, while taking advantage of on-site access to samples and process data to inform the potential for wastewater reuse.
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:agriculture; by-products; nutrient recovery; rendering condensate wastewater; slaughterhouse; wastewater
Subjects:Biological Sciences > Biotechnology
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science and Health > School of Biotechnology
DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science and Health > School of Chemical Sciences
Research Institutes and Centres > Water Institute
Publisher:MDPI
Official URL:https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w13030352
Copyright Information:© 2021 The Authors. Open Access (CC-By-4.0)
ID Code:25675
Deposited On:23 Mar 2021 13:37 by Burcu Gunes . Last Modified 10 Feb 2022 12:49
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