Synthesis Characterization and Evaluation of Food Waste Derived Activated Carbon for Treatment of Biodiesel Wash Water an Approach towards Zero Liquid Discharge

Abstract

Energy demand and environmental quality decrement are the twin issues that need immediate attention. The tourism sector across the globe is expanding, leading to an increase in the number of small, medium and star restaurants. Irrespective of the regime people are more fascinated with fried items. Millions of litres of waste cooking oil are generated from various food outlets worldwide. Tonnes of food waste reach the landfills or remain unmanaged. These two major wastes generated from restaurants and food outlets are global issues that need to be addressed. Addressing these identified problems necessitated the framing of the objectives of the present study. It is evident that the waste cooking oil generated creates an intense impact on sewer lines, in groundwater and on land. However, researchers have explored this second-generation raw material (waste cooking oil) for biodiesel production. Irrespective of the waste cooking oil quality, the single step or double step process governed by the free fatty acid percentage of the oil generates wash water when adopting wet refining to produce high quality biodiesel, which is an added environmental issue that demands addressal. Though there are several dry mechanisms available for refining, wet washing with water has proven to be highly economical. Another major issue related to food outlets irrespective of the capacity is the food waste which is exponentially increasing adding to the Green House Gas emissions and raising the carbon footprints. To address the waste cooking oil (WCO) disposal and food waste (FW) management, the twin problems associated with any food outlet, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology Mess has been taken up as WCO and FW generating source and has been chosen for the present study. The objective of the research is to successfully implement a zero liquid discharge technology to handle the cooking oil and food waste generated from the institution mess for biodiesel production and wash water recovery, recycle and reuse generated thereof.