ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the palm oil extraction process, wastewater treatment systems, and future
technologies and applications for the palm oil industry. Crude palm oil (CPO) is extracted from
the mesocarp of the fruitlets while palm kernel oil is obtained from the kernel (Fig. 4.1). The oil
contents originating from mesocarp and kernel are 20 and 4%, respectively. Palm oil is a
semisolid oil, rich in vitamins and several major fatty acids: oleic, palmitic, and linoleic. To
produce palm oil, a considerable amount of water is needed, which in turn generates a large
volume of wastewater. Palm oil mills and palm oil refineries are two main sources of palm oil
wastewater; however, the first is the larger source of pollution and effluent known as palm oil
mill effluent (POME). An estimated 30 million tons of palm oil mill effluent (POME) are
produced annually from more than 300 palm oil mills in Malaysia. Owing to the high pollution
load and environmental significance of POME, this chapter shall place emphasis on its treatment
system.
