Detection of fish industry wastewater main pollution sources by cluster analysis

Abstract

Water consumption in fish canning industry and the production of high polluted wastewaters are of great concern worldwide. In fact, in this type of industry a huge amount of water is used throughout all steps, including cleaning, cooking, cooling, sanitization and floor washing. It is also known a frequent change of raw material to be processed, with variation in flow rates and composition, which implies changes in wastewater characteristics. These variable operating conditions make the planning of a common treatment plant for all of the wastewaters produced in a single unit a challenging task. A treatment process suitable to treat this wastewater must be found in order to fulfil the limits imposed by the Portuguese legislation (Decree-Law No. 236/98) for industrial wastewater discharge. Therefore, it is important to analyze what are the main pollution sources of this type of wastewaters to be possible to identify its main characteristics in a quick and inexpensive way, in order to define an adequate sequence for its treatment. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion