ABSTRACT
With the present worldwide outcry to move towards a ‘greener’ future and the continuous tightening of legislation in relation to industrial waste disposal, anaerobic treatment of industrial wastewater addresses the environmental issue in two aspects. Firstly, anaerobic treatment reduces the amount of organic matter being discharged into the natural environment. Secondly, methane, one of the ‘greenhouse’ gases can be produced under controlled conditions and can be utilized to provide valuable energy. Therefore, there has been an ongoing effort to improve anaerobic treatment technology in order to achieve higher organic removal efficiency to minimize both capital and operating costs. In addition, there is an incentive to enhance the methane content in the off-gas produced thus lowering the subsequent cost in energy recovery. Moreover, and most important, the process has to demonstrate its stability and reliability during long term operation.
