Characterization of wastewater from hog slaughterhouses in Eastern Canada and evaluation of their in-plant wastewater treatment systems

Masse, D.I. and Masse, L. 2000. Characterization of wastewater from hog slaughterhouses in Eastern Canada and evaluation of their in-plant wastewater treatment systems. Can. Agric. Eng. 42:139-146. Literature on existing systems for slaughterhouse wastewater treatment was reviewed and discussed in terms of technology usefulness and relevance under Canadian conditions. The wastewater from six hog slaughterhouses in Quebec and Ontario was also characterised before and after treatment at the plant. In raw wastewater, total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) ranged from 2333 to 8627 mg/L and suspended solids (SS) varied between 736 and 2099 mg/L. Slaughterhouse wastewater composition in terms of organic strength, inorganic elements, alkalinity, and pH is adequate for biological treatment. Two slaughterhouses only settled their wastewater before discharging it to the municipal sewer. Three plants used primary treatment to precipitate blood and remove floating fat, while one further treated its wastewater using an aerobic trickling filter. Although preliminary treatment at the slaughterhouse reduced the level of pollutants, TCOD and SS concentrations were still too high for sewer discharge without being imposed a municipal surcharge. In addition, all treatments produced large amounts of putrefactive and bulky sludge, which required special handling and/or further treatment. Cet article presente d’abord une recension des ecrits sur les systemes de traitement des eaux usees d’abattoir. Les technologies d’epuration sont decrites en fonction de leur utilite dans le contexte canadien. Les eaux usees provenant de six abattoirs de porcs au Quebec et en Ontario ont ensuite ete caracterisees avant et apres le traitement effectue aux abattoirs. Dans les eaux usees brutes, la demande chimique en oxygene totale (DCOT) varie de 2 333 a 8 627 mg/l, et les matieres en suspension (MES), de 736 a 2 099 mg/l. Les eaux usees d’abattoir contiennent une charge organique, des concentrations d’azote, de phosphore et d’oligo-elements, une alcalinite et un pH adequats pour un traitement biologique. Deux des abattoirs visites se contentent de transvider les eaux usees dans des bassins de decantation avant de les deverser dans le reseau municipal d’egouts. Trois abattoirs effectuent une epuration primaire dans le but de precipiter le sang et de favoriser la flottaison des gras, tandis qu’un abattoir traite aussi ses eaux usees a l’aide d’un filtre bacterien aerobie. Les traitements d’epuration utilises dans les abattoirs reduisent le niveau des matieres polluantes mais se revelent insuffisants pour ramener la DCOT et les MES a des concentrations permettant aux etablissements de deverser leurs eaux dans les egouts municipaux sans se voir imposer une surtaxe. En outre, tous les traitements recenses produisent une quantite considerable de boues putrides et volumineuses qui necessitent une manutention speciale ou des traitements ulterieurs. INTRODUCTION

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