Revolutionizing Palm Oil Waste Management: Cost and Benefit Analysis of Plasma Nanobubble Innovative Technology

Abstract

Palm oil is a crucial agricultural commodity that holds substantial importance in the Indonesian economy, enhancing the export revenues and developing a rural economy. Production levels have consistently and substantially increased during the previous decades. However, this increase aligns with the substantial amount of palm oil mill waste (POME) that has the potential to pollute the environment, causes damage through water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The utilization of Plasma Nanobubble (PNB) technology could efficiently tackle this problem. Nevertheless, more research is necessary to assess the effects of this method on the treatment of palm oil residue. The aim of this study is to provide a thorough review of the costs and benefits related to the use of PNB technology for treating palm oil waste. The results of this study demonstrate a significant reduction in costs by 23%, from Indonesia Rupiah or IDR. 9,370,939,000 to IDR 7,214,155,960. The utilization of PNB technology generates several benefits, including improved environmental effects. A notable benefit discovered is the considerable decrease in color before and after the application of the PNB technology. In addition, there was a significant decrease in total suspended solids (TSS) of –969.8%, biological oxygen demand (BOD) of –1790.2%, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of –2534.1% after the implementation of PNB technology. Therefore, PNB technology emerges as a viable solution for the palm oil industry to address the POME waste problem, contributing to creating new knowledge on waste management that can be applied by other palm oil producing countries.