Study on the Effectiveness of Membrane Bioreactor in Reducing BOD and COD of Seaweed Wastewater

Abstract

The development of natural resource-based industries must consider sustainable waste water management and green economic efficiency. This condition requires a fundamental scientific understanding of the characteristics of the seaweed waste water treatment process as part of efforts to realize an efficient, environmentally friendly industry through the Bioreactor Membrane (MBR) approach, supporting the downstream of the sustainable seaweed industry. This study aims to examine the characteristics of the seaweed industrial waste water treatment process using a laboratory-scale MBR system as the basis for an initial understanding of the mechanism of biological biodegradation and membrane separation. The research method was carried out experimentally using a laboratory-scale MBR unit with a waste water source coming from the seaweed industry. The results of the study showed that MBR could reduce COD by 93.1% (from 3100 mg/l to 214 mg/l) and BOD by 90.8% (from 1050 mg/l to 97 mg/l), thus meeting the established seaweed wastewater quality standards (100 mg/l). The initial pH of 11 changed to 8.7. This study also showed that the longer the aeration time, the greater the reduction in BOD produced and experienced significant changes. This processing efficiency shows that MBR can be an alternative for effective and environmentally friendly seaweed wastewater treatment, supporting the concept of a green economy.