Biotechnology and Bioinformatics (1+1)

6.1.5.6. Wastewater related from seafood processing plant

Liquid waste

The large amount of liquid waste is preferably treated in a pond or aerated lagoon systems. Problems have been observed in some of these wastewater treatment plants with the appearance of a red colour (photosynthetic bacteria) and bad smell.

• The discharge of red effluent into streams would most certainly have an impact on the quality of natural waterways or reservoirs.
• Use of activated sludge is becoming more popular for treatment.
• Dissolved air flotation has also been implemented in some factories before the activated sludge to remove oil, grease and protein .

Clean technologies based on the use of microorganisms

The most useful microbial process for the treatment of the liquid waste is the anaerobic digester system.

• The effluent from the biodigester may then be transferred into a shallow pond for the production of the alga Chlorella and photosynthetic bacteria.
• Both microorganisms have a high chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein, vitamin and fatty acids content, and therefore make an excellent feed for fish production in a second deeper pond, or could be sold to the large shrimp-farm industry.
• Liquid waste also contains a large variety of enzymes , in particular proteases, which could be recovered by simple biochemical purification steps.

Fish processing waste is one of the richest resource materials for further enzymatic and microbial process development. The introduction of all or part of the mentioned processes would not only eliminate the problems in the presently used wastewater treatment methods but would also undoubtedly raise the economic benefits, viability and sustainability of the industry in a clean ecological environment.