Treatment of Rubber Processing Wastewater by Effective Microorganisms Using Anaerobic Sequencing Batch Reactor

Nurul Zaizuliana Rois Anwar; Mohd Ariffin Abu Hassan; Ismail Mahmood; Aidee Kamal Khamis

Nurul Zaizuliana Rois Anwar Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin
Mohd Ariffin Abu Hassan Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Ismail Mahmood Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Aidee Kamal Khamis Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Abstract

The rubber industry, one of the major industrial polluters in Malaysia, is discharging wastewater which contains much organic and inorganic matter from various stages of process operations. Therefore, this study investigated the effectiveness of effective microorganisms (EM) in an Anaerobic Sequencing Batch Reactor (ASBR) system to treat rubber processing wastewater. Four different ratios of EM/wastewater volume were used; 1:100, 1:500, 1:1000 and 1:2000. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), turbidity and total suspended solids (TSS) were analyzed in the wastewater. The treatment of EM/wastewater ratio of 1:1000 successfully reduced up to 60% of COD, 62% of BOD₅, 62% of turbidity, and 84% of TSS. This system managed to reduce the pollutants concentrations to the final COD concentration of 557 mg/L, BOD₅ concentration of 226 mg/L, turbidity of 255 NTU and TSS concentration of 75 mg/L. It was found that the ratio of 1:1000 performed best to treat the sample. Overall, this study suggested that EM technology in an anaerobic environment has the capability of elevating the quality of the treated rubber wastewater.

Keywords: Rubber wastewater, Anaerobic Sequencing Batch Reactor (ASBR), anaerobic treatment, effective microorganisms

ABSTRAK

Industri getah, salah satu industri pencemar utama di Malaysia, didapati menyingkirkan air buangan yang mengandungi banyak bahan organik dan tak organik berpunca daripada pelbagai peringkat operasi pemprosesan. Oleh itu, kajian ini dijalankan untuk mengkaji keberkesanan mikroorganisma berkesan (EM) dalam sistem Reaktor Kelompok Penjujukan Anaerobik (ASBR) untuk merawat air buangan pemprosesan getah. Empat nisbah isipadu EM/air buangan yang berlainan telah digunakan iaitu 1:100, 1:500, 1:1000 dan 1:2000. Analisis air buangan yang dijalankan termasuklah permintaan oksigen kimia (COD), permintaan oksigen biokimia (BOD₅), kekeruhan dan jumlah pepejal terampai (TSS). Rawatan dengan menggunakan nisbah 1:1000 telah berjaya menyingkirkan sehingga 60% COD, 62% BOD₅, 62% kekeruhan dan 84% TSS. Sistem tersebut berupaya mengurangkan kepekatan bahan pencemar sehingga menghasilkan kepekatan akhir COD yang bersamaan 557 mg/L, BOD₅bersamaan 226 mg/L, kekeruhan bersamaan 255 NTU dan kepekatan TSS bersamaan 75 mg/L. Didapati nisbah 1:1000 memberikan perawatan sampel yang terbaik. Secara keseluruhannya, kajian ini menyarankan bahawa teknologi EM dalam sistem anaerob adalah berkeupayaan untuk meningkatkan kualiti air buangan industri getah yang telah dirawat.

Kata kunci: Air buangan getah, Reaktor Kelompok Penjujukan Anaerobik (ASBR), rawatan anaerob, mikroorganisma berkesan