Development of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) Treatment System for Sustainable Energy Production and Resource Recovery based on Material Innovation

Materials innovation plus methane fermentation/electricity generation/photosynthesis equals resource recovery water treatment
Malaysia is the world’s second largest producer of palm oil, but milling effluent has been shown to cause water pollution. In this project, we are developing a system to use milling effluent to produce methane gas, recover electric power by using microbial fuel cells, and collect nutrient salts by photosynthesis, as well as manufacturing reclaimed water from the treated water. By encouraging or suppressing the microbial reactions in each process, and by developing materials that increase the capacity to isolate the substances concerned, we will establish a highly efficient water treatment process for resource recovery.

Turning effluent treatment into a resource recycling system to create new value
Transforming conventional energy-consuming water treatment into a resourcerecycling process will not only resolve water pollution issues but also greatly reduce greenhouse gases, improving the sustainability of palm oil production. This will be an important model case as a form of environmental infrastructure for the fuel production created by carbon fixation from widespread photosynthesis.