Waste oil recycling 3

[munich]

Does anybody know if bacteria, viruses etc. survive in waste oil?
The promlem is the following:
We need reduce levels of oil, fat and grease to enter the grease trap of a fast food restaurant. By using a separating device such as a dipper we will be able to separate a good deal of these components from the kitchen-ww-discharge. The separated oil may blend with the used oil from the fritter machines and the blend be used for recycling (e.g. chicken feed). If e.g. Salmonellae survive in the waste oil we would then help to close the infection chain and the chicken feed might/will get infected.
Does anybody know if these organisms survive in oil or not?
Cheers
munich

 

[adrianviorel]

In my opinion, if the Ph of the oil is suitable, bacterias could easily survive and infect all your oily environment. In any case, there are sterilizing methods (UV, boiling, etc)
I would suggest to sell used oil to Biodiesel producers. During processes inside Biodiesel plant, no bacteria will survive. That way, you will have also a source of income.

 

[munich]

adrianviorel,
thanks for your post, these are bad new, I hoped that bacteria etc. require water for their metabolism (osmotic pressure on membranes etc.).

Since these oils contain lots of unsaturated fatty acids they require hydrogenation before being suitable for a blend with reg. diesel as we do not have a biodiesel use here in Jamaica.

Sterilizing is too expensive, we have to find something else.
Cheers
munich

 

[adrianviorel]

Please note that I have posted a general opinion. For a firm opinion, we have to know what kind of bacterias you want to get rid of. Anyhow, I think you are well aware that :
- anaerobic bacterias are currently living in the most difficult environments.
- Even if bacterias are not living inside oil, it will be impossible to avoid their development at oil's surface, where they have all required air and humidity.
- Viruses are even more insidious.
As regard to biodiesel , try Pacific Biodiesel

 

[hco]

I don't know how the situation of sewage treatment looks in Jamaica, but if the waste water treatment plats are anaerobically digesting their sewage sludge they might be interested in buying the waste oil (for digestion). More biogas for them, less oil for you. And there any pathogens wouldn't be a problem.

And the Q.. do bacteria survive in oil? Archaebacteria (not true bacteria, I know, but for the sake of simplicity) have been found thriving in oil reserves deep underground, so yes, certain bacteria love the oil. But you're really more interested in the survival of pathogenic bacteria/viruses (not a single pathogenic Archae have been found as far as I know) and there my knowledge fall short. But my guess is that at least viruses have no problem of surviving. If there's risk of e.g. Salmonellae infection of the oil I wouldn't use as animal feed.

adrianviorel's biodiesel suggestion is good. Otherwise, sell it to someone running an anaerobic digestor.