ABSTRACT
Whey, dairy sludges, and wastewater are the most common wastes produced from the dairy industry. They have a high nutritional concentration, a high biological oxygen demand (BOD), a high chemical oxygen demand (COD), and a high organic and inorganic content. Furthermore, they can contain a variety of acid and alkaline detergents used during cleaning. The waste generated has an impact on the quality of the air, soil, and water. The purpose of this chapter is to detail the various physicochemical, biological, and biotechnological waste treatment procedures employed by the dairy sector. The physico-chemical treatment is used to reduce milk fat and protein colloids, however it has the disadvantages of high reagent costs and limited COD elimination. To eliminate organic material from dairy waste, biological treatments are performed; however, the production of sludge during aerobic biodegradation is a disadvantage. Aerobic and anaerobic process treatments can be employed in tandem to meet dairy wastewater effluent discharge regulations.
