Improving Olive Mill Wastewater Treatment with Aerobic Biofilm Reactor
Author Information
Author(s): Bertin Lorenzo, Colao Maria Chiara, Ruzzi Maurizio, Marchetti Leonardo, Fava Fabio
Primary Institution: University of Bologna
Hypothesis
Can an aerobic biofilm reactor effectively post-treat anaerobically digested olive mill wastewater to enhance COD removal?
Conclusion
The developed silica-bead packed bed biofilm reactor significantly improved the decontamination of anaerobically digested olive mill wastewater.
Supporting Evidence
- The aerobic post-treatment removed 24% of COD and 39% of phenols from the wastewater.
- The integrated system achieved an overall removal of 59% COD and 76% phenols.
- Microbial analysis showed a diverse community in the biofilm, including beneficial bacteria for wastewater treatment.
Takeaway
This study shows that using a special type of filter can help clean up dirty water from olive oil production much better than before.
Methodology
The study involved a two-month continuous feeding of anaerobically digested olive mill wastewater to an aerobic biofilm reactor, assessing its performance in removing COD and phenols.
Limitations
The study was limited to a specific type of wastewater and may not be generalizable to all wastewater types.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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