When fats, oils, and grease (FOG Pollutants) are hot and in liquid form, they flow down the drain or sink easily. When they cool, though, they solidify and accumulate inside the pipes, exactly like a human artery blockage.
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In trade effluent discharges, the food and beverage industry are especially vulnerable to high FOG levels. Ciguatera poisoning can be induced by being absorbed by fish, invertebrates, and prawns. It may also cause nausea, diarrhoea, a headache, joint discomfort (particularly in the spine), muscular aches and pains in people and animals
Where does fog come from?
Many businesses utilize fatty, oil, and grease-rich ingredients or manufacture meals that do. From ice cream to meat replacement to convenience foods, many production sites use such substances. The FOG is released during production and become a waste product or end up in a tank or floor washings. The manufacturer must then find a means of disposing of them in an ethical and cost-effective manner. If the concentration is below a consent threshold, they may be taken from the site or have to be treated first.
What is the current approach?
There are various treatment ponds on the market, but some discharge straight away. The lack of awareness on a weekly/daily, or even hourly basis of what’s in the effluent is a major problem. How can a site manager figure out how to dispose of waste if they don’t know what is in it?
Some websites send samples to an external lab, where results take 5-10 days to arrive. This is usually a random sample was taken or a total sample. This merely provides sites with historical data that they can’t utilize to avoid exceeding consent standards. Inspectors may come to the facility from an external agency and take samples without having current discharge levels, making them vulnerable.
How can FOG be detected quickly and simply on-site?
The InfraCal 2 analysers, offered by SGS, enable both regulators and the industry to minimize excessive oil/grease discharges and adhere to permit requirements. On-site analyses are finished in 10 minutes, as opposed to the usual 24 hours that it takes for laboratory findings.
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The procedure for extracting and measuring the material is simple enough for a novice to complete. The InfraCal 2 is a lightweight, fixed-filter mid-infrared analyzer with no moving components. It weighs less than five pounds (2.2kg), can be battery-powered, and has a limit of detection of 0.3ppm. This makes it portable, robust, and workable in a wide range of outdoor conditions that are typical in field environments.
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