Speaker
Description
Our studies, carried out on biological processes, offer one of the most viable approaches to the treatment of Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW). Effective utilization of these methods, which leads to significant reductions in COD and Phenolic compounds, will facilitate safe and economical disposal of OMW. Because of the greater part of olive oil production (98%) occurs in the Mediterranean region, using large amounts of water (10-30 million cubic meters) in a region of the world with limited water resources, the treatment and reuse of olive mill wastewater presents significant challenges due to the nature of olive oil production, and the characteristics of the wastewater (high chemical oxygen demand (COD), high phenolic content, etc.). Many studies have tested a range of different microorganisms (archaea, bacteria and fungi) and processes (aerobic or anaerobic bioreactors and composting) to treat OMW. Aerobic bacteria have been primarily tested as a method to remove phytotoxic compounds from OMW, although some studies have also focused on COD reduction. Mushrooms, on the other hand, have been shown to be effective in reducing COD and toxicity. Anaerobic digestion methods can effectively lower COD, but are adversely affected by Phenolic compounds in OMW.
