Why do Dairy Farms Monitor Wastewater?
Dairy farms monitor wastewater due to the substantial amount of freshwater used, especially when considering water used for feed, drinking water, and processing. A global meta-analysis estimates that producing one litre of milk takes an average of 628 litres of freshwater.
The resulting wastewater from dairy farms contains a mix of organic matter, dairy residues, and cleaning chemicals. Components such as fats, milk proteins, and sugars increase oxygen demand needed for biodegrading. If untreated, discharging wastewater with high BOD can deprive aquatic life of oxygen in receiving water bodies. In addition, dairy farms are required to follow municipal discharge limits set to protect public health and the environment, making wastewater monitoring mandatory.
Drawbacks of Other Wastewater Monitoring Methods
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) testing is a common requirement across all industries that produce wastewater and is particularly important for dairy production, as it often generates significantly higher BOD levels than other industries. However, the approved 5 or 7-day testing method makes it impractical for operators to make immediate decisions.
An alternative is Chemical Oxygen Demand by dichromate (CODcr) which takes less time than BOD, about 2 to 3 hours, but relies on hazardous reagents such as dichromate and mercury. These chemicals pose significant health and environmental risks, especially for food and beverage operations that must follow strict safety standards.
Optimize Monitoring Wastewater with PeCOD®
MANTECH’s PeCOD® Analyzer provides a safe, green, and reliable solution to wastewater monitoring. By delivering accurate BOD/COD results in just 10 minutes, the PeCOD® gives operators real-time insights needed to optimize treatment processes, reduce energy consumption, and minimize chemical use.
Furthermore, since PeCOD® relies on photoelectrochemical oxidation rather than hazardous reagents, it eliminates safety and disposal concerns associated with COD testing and is ideal for industries that produce a substantial level of wastewater. The results from the PeCOD® allow dairy operators to monitor BOD efficiently to ensure their discharge water is within treatment limits.
Recently, a dairy farm integrated MANTECH’s PeCOD® analyzer into its wastewater treatment process. Below, Figure 1 displays a strong correlation between the PeCOD® and BOD results.
