Treatment of POME using Fenton oxidation process: removal efficiency, optimization, and acidity condition

In this study, the performance of a Fenton oxidation process was evaluated for the treatment of high-concentrated palm oil mill effluent (POME). Experiments were designed using the central composite design model of the response surface methodology (RSM). Four independent variables (reaction time, H2O2 concentration, Fe2+ ions concentration, and initial solution pH) and two dependent responses (COD and final solution pH) were investigated. The results show that at a low Fe2+ concentration and pH of about 3, an acceptable COD removal efficiency was achieved. At optimum conditions of pH 3.5 and 90 min reaction time, COD removal exceeded 85% and was successfully optimized by RSM. A significant model (p<0.0001) was obtained for final pH condition and statistically reached a satisfactory level with a correlation coefficient (R-2) of about 0.71. This study, therefore, demonstrates the capacity of Fenton process to successfully remove COD from high-concentrated POME under the right combination of process variables.