Empty fruit bunch (EFB) char was used to remove NOx and odorous substances. The physicochemical properties of the EFB chars were altered by steam or KOH treatments. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and porosity were measured to determine the properties of the modified EFB chars. The deNOx and adsorption test for hydrogen sulphide and acetaldehyde were performed to determine the feasibility of the modified EFB chars. The KOH-treated EFB (KEFB) char revealed higher deNOx efficiency than with commercial activated carbon. The Cu-impregnated EFB char also had high deNOx efficiency at temperatures higher than 150°C. The KEFB char showed the highest hydrogen sulphide and acetaldehyde adsorption ability, followed by the steam-treated EFB char and untreated EFB char. Moreover, the product prepared by sulfonation of EFB char showed excellent performance for esterification of palm fatty acid distillate for biodiesel production.

This study was conducted to investigate the ratios of phosphorus release to COD uptake, phosphorus release to nitrate removal, and phosphorus uptake to phosphorus release by DNPAOs(denitrifying phosphate accumulating organisms). In case I～IV, influent 1 were fed with synthetic wastewater with influent 2 NO3--N injection to anoxic zone and the case V were fed with municipal wastewater with side stream oxic zone instead of influent 2 NO3--N injection. As a result, the ratio of phosphorus release to carbon uptake was increased in accordance with nitrate supply. The DNPAOs simultaneously took up phosphate and removed nitrate from the anoxic reactor. In case I～IV, with above 20 mg/L of sufficient NO3--N supply, phosphate was taken up excessively by the DNPAOs in anoxic condition. The large amount of both uptake and release of phosphorus occurred above 20 mg/L of nitrate supply, achieving the ratio of phosphorus uptake to phosphorus release to be 1.05. In case V, phosphate luxury uptake was not occurred in system due to 6.98 mg/L of insufficient NO3--N supply and the ratio of phosphorus uptake to phosphorus release was 0.98. Consequently, if nitrate as the electron acceptor was sufficient in anoxic zone, the ratio was found to be high.