Abstract:
The efficiency of microbial inactivation in water is highly dependent on the type of treatment technology used as well as the characteristics of the water to be treated. Wastewater from
poultry slaughterhouses carries a significant number of microorganisms posing threats to humans
and the environment in general. Therefore, the treatment of poultry slaughterhouse wastewater
requires the use of appropriate purification systems with high removal efficiency for microbial
agents. In this study, the performance of an integrated treatment plant with electrolysis, ultrafiltration, and ultraviolet radiation as the principal treatment units was investigated in terms of
microbial inactivation from poultry slaughterhouse wastewater. In this case, total microbial number,
total coliform bacteria, thermo-tolerant coliform bacteria, pathogenic flora, including salmonella coliphages,
spores of sulfite-reducing clostridia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus
were studied. Approximately 63.95% to 99.83% of the microbes were removed by the electrochemical
treatment unit as well as a 99.86% to 100% removal efficiency was achieved after the combined
treatment. However, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the only microbial agent detected in the final
effluent after the combined treatment. The phenomenon suggests that an upgrade to the treatment
plant may be required to achieve 100% removal assurance for Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
