TREATMENT OF RECYCLED WASTEWATERS FROM FISH-MEAL FACTORY BY AN ANAEROBIC FILTER

Fishmeal industries processes produce effluents with high load organic matter. These effluents, after recycling and physical-chemical pretre atment, have a high organic content (5-6 g COD/I), proteins (3-5 g/l), salinity close to sea water, sodium chloride (30 gn) and sulphate (1- 3.3 g/l). An anaerobic filter was used for the treatment of this waste water, with marine sediment as anaerobic inoculum. Anaerobic filter re moved up to 70% of the influent COD concentrations at organic loading rates (OLR) of 9.5 and 14.3 (g/l . d) and sulphate up to 80% at OLR of 7.1 and 14.3 (g/l . d) whereas the pH ranged between 7.0 and 7.5. The se results show that anaerobic filter systems are applicable to recycl ed wastewaters from fishmeal.