Alkaline hydrolysis applied to animal tissues treatment

Abstract

In this study, the minimum temperature and NaOH concentration for the total destruction of animal tissues were determined using either pork or beef as surrogates. The alkaline hydrolysis trials were performed with 1 M and 2 M NaOH solutions at different temperatures and different hydrolysis times. The pork and beef showed a similar behavior when subjected to alkaline hydrolysis. The destruction of meat was faster than the bone. The meat was totally hydrolyzed above 90C in less than 60 minutes. The effluents obtained after alkaline treatment are hazardous due to their very high pH. Although with very high organic load, the effluents produced in alkaline hydrolysis were biodegradable after neutralization. Therefore, it may be acceptable to discharge the neutralized effluents in a domestic wastewater treatment plant. (c) 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, London.