Pollution profile of a corn wet mill

In this study a corn wet mill producing corn germ, fiber, gluten, glucose, modified starch goods, starch and dextrin from corn grits was examined in terms of its pollution profile. The identified wastewater sources mainly consisting of steep water evaporator vapor condensate and evaporator cleaning water from the wet mill, vacuum filter filtrate from the modified starch production and flash cooler condensate, activated carbon recovery water, demineralization unit cleaning water from glucose refinery were characterized and the pollution profile was established. The general discharge had a total COD content of 4850 mg/l and a soluble COD of 3850 mg/l. BOD₅/COD ratio of the general discharge was assessed as approximately 0.62.