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Food and beverage manufacturing produces a complex wastewater effluent often difficult to treat due to its high salinity levels and heavy loading of contaminants.
Food and beverage processing wastewater
Wastewater generated by these industries are typically turbid, with high concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), fats oils and grease (FOG), and soluble nutrients such as nitrogen (including ammonia) and phosphate.
Other typical characteristics of food processing wastewater are large seasonal variations, large hourly variations in concentration and type of contaminants, often large variations in wastewater flows through the processing day, and unbalanced concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, all of which complicates wastewater microbiological treatment.
Magnesium hydroxide is the strongest, and yet most gentle, pH and alkalinity buffer in the world. It locks in the neutralized pH by providing a residual buffer within the treated wastewater so that wide variations in flow, contaminants, and pH are far less detrimental.
Energy efficiency and costs
Treated wastewater from food processing industries and farms can have a dual benefit. Treated wastewater can be recycled for land or crop irrigation to help cut down on the industries’ use of fresh water, and the carbonaceous contaminants in wastewater can be converted to biogas (methane) and used to produce electricity.
Anaerobic digestion is a natural microbiological process that converts organic matter present in wastewater sludge into biogas for electricity, as well as significantly reducing the contaminant load in the treated water.
The energy produced from biogas can be fed back into the grid or used in other parts of the production process, which represents a real opportunity to reduce energy costs.
OUR SOLUTIONS
IER offers safe, cost-effective and earth-friendly wastewater treatment alternatives, with a multitude of benefits:
GREATER NEUTRALIZING VALUE
Safer for people & better for the environment
COMPARE ALKA-Mag+ WITH CAUSTIC SODA
IER is a supplier of environmentally friendly water and wastewater treatment chemicals and equipment.
IER offers Magnesium Hydroxide-based products as safe, earth-friendly alternatives to the use of caustic soda for pH neutralization, along with proprietary polymer solids removal technologies.
Owned by Calix, an Australian company with global operations, IER brings 20 years of experience working with plant engineers and operators to offer the most cost-effective solutions for their specific needs.
Find out more about usHigh quality products | Proactive customer service
We take pride in providing high-quality products, technical credibility in the applications of water, process water, and wastewater treatment, dedicated delivery specialists and equipment, and proactive on-site technical service.
CUSTOMER STORIES
May 18, 2020 \ ACTI-Mag \ Improving the Sustainability of Water Treatment \ Food & Beverage
An innovative mixed-metal hydroxide for pH control and wastewater microorganism activity
An innovative mixed-metal hydroxide for pH control and wastewater microorganism activity at a meat processing facility in the United-States.
November 10, 2020 \ ACTI-Mag \ Improving the Sustainability of Water Treatment \ Food & Beverage
Caustic soda replacement at a fruit processing plant
A food processing plant in the Pacific Northwest that manufactures fruit products was generating acidic wastewater and looking for a
September 11, 2020 \ ACTI-Mag \ Improving the Sustainability of Water Treatment \ Food & Beverage
Converting from caustic to magnesium hydroxide 
Spokane County Regional Water Reclamation Facility, operated by Jacobs, processes 8 million gallons per day (mgd) of wastewater collected from
SUPPORTING WATER FOR PEOPLE
No child should miss out on education because they lack safe water and sanitation.
This is why IER supports Water for People, to bring clean water, well managed bathrooms and hygiene education to schools – so kids can stay healthy, focus on learning, and build bright futures.
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