SANITRAP Efficacy Tests: Enzymes for Breaking Down Fats and Oils

Introduction

Discharging fats and oils into the sewer system can cause a range of problems, making it essential to address these substances before they enter the drainage system.

Understanding the impact of FOG (fats, oils, and grease) and how to manage it at the source and during industrial cleaning is essential to preventing blockage-related problems.

Fats, oils, and grease remain liquid when heated but solidify as they cool, clogging drains and gradually hardening over time until they can prevent water from flowing through pipes.

Various liquid products have traditionally been used to unclog drains. However, an alternative is now available that avoids the use of these liquids through enzyme-based treatments designed to break down FOG.

Enzymatic treatments safely break down fats and solid deposits formed by FOG without damaging wastewater systems or the environment. These treatments do not affect or damage drains, pipes, or sewer systems.

SANITRAP is an innovative controlled-release block containing bacteria and enzymes that requires no special application equipment, plumbing modifications, or expensive dosing pumps. Simply place a SANITRAP block in the grease trap, and it begins working.

Conventional treatment systems typically require liquid bacteria-enzyme formulations to be regularly dosed into grease traps at night to prevent interaction with harsh cleaning chemicals during operating hours.

The new SANITRAP blocks eliminate hard-to-handle liquids, plumbing modifications, and daily dosing, simplifying the proper sanitary maintenance of grease traps.

SANITRAP blocks can be added periodically according to operating needs and conditions, providing increased levels of beneficial bacteria and enzymes to help keep grease traps free from residue and odors. This reduces sewer-related problems and FOG-related compliance issues, making SANITRAP a truly innovative solution.

Objectives

• Evaluate the effectiveness of SANITRAP blocks placed in the grease trap of a market.
• Determine the appropriate replacement frequency for SANITRAP blocks based on operating conditions and requirements.

Features and Benefits of SANITRAP Blocks

SANITRAP blocks contain 80 times the level of bacteria and enzymes found in liquid products and 8 times the level found in solid products.

Composition

• Four trillion CFU/g from five Bacillus strains:
  • Bacterial protease: 7,450 PC/g
  • Bacterial amylase: 685 BAU/g
  • Lipase: 200 LU/g
  • Cellulase: 3,000 CU/g

SANITRAP helps reduce costs while delivering improved results through additional enzymes not found in most grease trap products. All components are environmentally friendly.

Product Properties

• Effective pH range: 5.0–9.5
• Temperature range: 45–120 °F / 5–50 °C
• Compact dimensions for convenient storage

Functions of the Compounds

PROTEASE: An enzyme that breaks down proteins into amino acids and degrades protein-based residues such as blood and egg.

AMYLASE: An enzyme that breaks down starches, such as residues from pasta or tubers.

LIPASES: Enzymes that break down fats such as butter and oil.

CELLULASES: Enzymes that break the β-1,4 glycosidic bonds in cellulose, such as those found in paper.

Methodology

Trial Location

The trial was conducted at El Príncipe Market, located at Avenida Principal 555, Urb. La Calera de La Merced, Surquillo, Lima.

The market has approximately 50 stalls offering meat, fruits, vegetables, groceries, and general merchandise, as well as restaurants and juice bars.

The facility has a grease trap with a collection capacity of 2.0 m³.

Background

In July 2025, El Príncipe Market was sanctioned by the Lima Water and Sewerage Service (SEDAPAL) for discharging effluent with concentrations exceeding the limits established in Annex 1 of Supreme Decree No. 010-2019-VIVIENDA, which regulates the Maximum Admissible Values (VMA) for non-domestic wastewater discharges into the sanitary sewer system.

The results were as follows:

Based on these results, the owners decided to bring their discharges into compliance with the regulated VMA limits in order to have the sanction lifted and avoid additional costs associated with discharges exceeding the permitted limits.

Proposed Treatment:

SANITRAP blocks were used as the sole treatment method and were supplied to the customer as samples.

Before beginning the treatment, the grease trap was to be cleaned, an initial sample collected, and the product subsequently installed.

The association members were to install a container suspended in the center of the grease trap, where the SANITRAP block would be placed.

Applied dose: 2 ounces

The president of the Merchants’ Association was responsible for regularly monitoring consumption of the SANITRAP block, ensuring that the product remained continuously present in the grease trap. Evaluations were conducted every three days.

Results

Three sampling events were conducted over the 37-day treatment period by SEGESA (Environmental Laboratory) on the following dates:

• Day zero (0): July 31, 2025
• Day eighteen (18): August 18, 2025
• Day thirty-seven (37): September 6, 2025

Continuous monitoring showed that the 2-ounce dose was consumed within 16 calendar days, at which point it was immediately replaced. A subsequent replacement was made on day 37 following the installation of the treatment.

Data from the scheduled monitoring indicate the product’s effectiveness after 18 and 37 days. All measured parameters were below their respective VMA limits except BOD and COD, which remained slightly above the permitted limits. pH, oil and grease concentration, ammoniacal nitrogen, total suspended solids, and sulfides were well below their applicable VMA limits.

However, compared with the preliminary control data, the measured parameters decreased considerably, which could support the lifting of the sanction imposed by the regulatory authority.

The owners indicated that some pipes within the market were currently obstructed, which could explain why certain parameters remained slightly above the permitted limits.

Conclusions

• At El Príncipe Market, SANITRAP block replacement intervals ranged from approximately 15 to 16 days, by which time the product was almost entirely consumed.
• The product’s effectiveness can be verified against all Maximum Admissible Values established under Supreme Decree No. 010-2019-VIVIENDA with less than 18 days of continuous use.
• The product’s effectiveness can be verified against the Maximum Admissible Values established under Supreme Decree No. 010-2019-VIVIENDA for pH, oils and grease, ammoniacal nitrogen, total suspended solids, and sulfides with less than 37 days of continuous use.
• For BOD and COD, after 37 days of continuous use, the results remained slightly above the permitted limits but were substantially lower than those recorded in the baseline analysis conducted before the trial, which led to the sanction imposed on the establishment.

Recommendations

• Replace SANITRAP blocks every two weeks (14 days) to ensure that the grease trap maintains a sufficient enzymatic load, as the effluent load may vary depending on the time of year.
• Increase the applied dose from 2 to at least 3 ounces with each replacement.
• Conduct monitoring every 15 days, as two parameters remain slightly above the permitted limits.
• Unclog and inspect all effluent collection pipes leading to the grease trap to improve control of residual buildup.