Bioflocculant from Palm Oil Mill Effluent(POME)

Chemical flocculants have high flocculating efficiency and low cost but they have neurotoxic and carcinogenic monomers, not easily degraded and cause pollution. Bioflocculant has attracted huge scientific and biotechnological consideration because they are biodegradable and safe for ecosystems. However, fermentation cost and yields are the major problems hindering large-scale production and industrial application of these microbial products. This study explores the possibility of using POME as a low-cost substrate for bioflocculant production to reduce the fermentation cost. A cost-effective bioflocculant from wastewater will be developed and applied in various industrial applications.