Poultry (chicken) slaughterhouse wastewater treatment encompasses the wastewater management of broiler and turkey processing facilities. Turkey ranks among the top producers of chicken meat in the world — billions of chickens are processed annually in the sector. In parallel, poultry processing wastewater treatment is a significant engineering field.
The BOD value of chicken slaughterhouse wastewater is 1,000-3,000 mg/L, COD 2,000-7,000 mg/L, oil and grease 200-800 mg/L, total nitrogen 200-600 mg/L (high!), and total phosphorus 30-80 mg/L. Feathers and organ fragments require coarse screening. Water consumption is around 25-50 liters per chicken.
Arsistek chicken slaughterhouse solutions include coarse screening, static sieve, DAF, anaerobic UASB, nitrification-denitrification (MBR recommended), and UV disinfection. Due to the high nitrogen load, special biological design is essential.
Structure of Poultry Slaughterhouse Wastewater
There are 5 main wastewater sources in the poultry processing line: bleeding, scalding-feather removal, evisceration, cutting-slicing, and general cleaning (CIP).
Bleeding is of great importance. Approximately 30-50 ml of blood is extracted from each chicken. The COD of the blood is 400,000 mg/L (!). Therefore, blood is collected separately, coagulated, and utilized in the production of animal feed (blood meal). Only 5% is allowed to mix with wastewater.
Feather removal is done with hot water (60°C). The resulting wastewater is warm and carries animal fat along with organic content. A thick grate at the feather exit point (5-10 mm) is mandatory — feathers clog the biological system.
Nitrification-Denitrification
Due to the high nitrogen load (up to 600 mg/L), NDN design is mandatory. First, the anoxic tank (denitrification) is connected, followed by the aerobic tank (nitrification).
The return flow is made from aerobic to anoxic. Raw wastewater is used as a carbon source (feeding to anoxic). The total nitrogen at the outlet is maintained below 15 mg/L.
Advantages of MBR
MBR (Membrane Bioreactor) is recommended for poultry slaughterhouses. Compared to conventional systems:
- 50% less area
- High MLSS with high SRT (15-25 days)
- Effluent BOD <5, COD <1 mg/L
- Pathogen retention — reduces UV requirements
Comparison of Slaughterhouse vs Poultry Processing Plant
Slaughterhouse (cattle) and poultry slaughterhouse wastewater may appear similar, but there are significant differences:
- Fat content: Slaughterhouse > Poultry (cattle is fattier)
- Nitrogen content: Poultry > Slaughterhouse (feathers are high in N protein)
- Feather/hair load: Specific to poultry — thick grill requirement
- Water consumption: Poultry: 50 L/unit, Slaughterhouse: 800-1500 L/unit
- Pathogen risk: High Salmonella in poultry
These differences affect the design: high nitrogen biology + feather grill is prioritized for poultry; for slaughterhouses, DAF + fat separation is critical.
Advantages of Poultry Slaughterhouse Solutions
Chicken Slaughterhouse References
8 visuals will be added soon — stay tuned for our reference projects and facility photos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Blood COD ~400,000 mg/L. If it reaches the effluent, treatment load increases 10x. Collected blood is rendered into blood meal (animal feed) selling for 200-400 USD/ton.
Effluent passes through 5-10 mm coarse screen then 0.5-1 mm static sieve. Captured feathers go to disposal or rendering (feather meal).
Slaughterhouse TN limit 60 mg/L. Raw poultry TN up to 600, so 90%+ removal needed. Only achievable with NDN design.
MBR high MLSS (10,000-12,000 mg/L) allows long SRT (20+ d) for slow-growing nitrifiers. Membrane effluent is pathogen-free, reducing UV demand.
Yes. UV (40 mJ/cm²) or chlorine (1-3 mg/L residual) achieves 4-log inactivation. MBR membrane already retains bacteria.
Yes. UF+RO treated water reused for plant exterior wash, cooling tower makeup, auxiliary processes. Cannot return to food line (hygiene). 30-50% water savings.