COAGULATION-SEDIMENTATION-EXTRACTION PRETREATMENT METHODS FOR THE REMOVAL OF SUSPENDED SOLIDS AND RESIDUAL OIL FROM PALM OIL MILL EFFLUENT (POME)

ABSTRACT: Suspended solids and residual oil removal in a liquid are relevant to numerous research areas and industry. The suspended solid cannot be removed completely by plain settling. Large and heavy particles can settle out readily, but smaller and lighter particles settle very slowly or in some cases do not settle at all. Because of this, it requires efficient physical-chemical pretreatment methods. Our current research is to study the pretreatment methods in the removal of suspended solids and residual oil content in POME. Preliminary analysis shows that POME contains 40,000 mg/L suspended solid and 4,000 mg/L oil and grease content that relatively very high compared to the maximum allowable limit by the Malaysian Department of Environment which are only 400 mg/L and 50 mg/