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Removal of phenolic compounds in olive mill wastewater by silica–alginate–fungi biocomposites

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Abstract

This study aims to attempt a treatment strategy based on fungi immobilized on silica-alginate (biocomposites) for removal of phenolic compounds in olive oil mill wastewater (OMW), OMW supplemented (OMWS) with phenolic compounds and water supplemented (WS) with phenolic compounds, thus decreasing its potential impact in the receiving waters. Active (alive) or inactive (death by sterilization) Pleurotus sajor caju was encapsulated in alginate beads. Five beads containing active and inactive fungus were placed in a mold and filled with silica hydrogel (biocomposites). The biocomposites were added to batch reactors containing the OMW, OMWS and WS. The treatment of OMW, OMWS and WS by active and inactive biocomposites was performed throughout 28 days at 25 °C. The efficiency of treatment was evaluated by measuring the removal of targeted organic compounds, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and relative absorbance ratio along the time. Active P. sajor caju biocomposites were able to remove 64.6–88.4 % of phenolic compounds from OMW and OMWS and 91.8–97.5 % in water. Furthermore, in the case of OMW there was also a removal of 30.0–38.1 % of fatty acids, 68.7 % of the sterol and 35 % of COD. The silica–alginate–fungi biocomposites showed a high removal of phenolic compounds from OMW and water. Furthermore, in the application of biocomposites to the treatment of OMW it was observed also a decrease on the concentration of fatty acids and sterols as well as a reduction on the COD.

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Acknowledgments

This work was developed under the scope of the FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal) research grants (SFRH/BPD/73781/2010 and SFRH/BPD/65410/2009) funded by QREN-POPH co-financed by the European Social Fund and Portuguese National Funds from MCTES, through FSE and POPH funds (Programa Ciência 2007) and through the bilateral cooperation FCT Portugal/CNRST Morocco. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ISEIT/Viseu, Instituto Piaget, Estrada do Alto do Gaio, Galifonge, Lordosa, 3515-776, Viseu, Portugal

    K. R. Duarte, T. Panteleitchouk, A. C. Freitas & T. A. P. Rocha-Santos

  2. Department of Chemistry, CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    C. Justino, A. C. Freitas, A. C. Duarte & T. A. P. Rocha-Santos

  3. General Physical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University Mohammed V-Agdal, Avenue Ibn Battouta, BP 1014, Rabat, Morocco

    A. Zrineh

Authors
  1. K. R. Duarte
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  2. C. Justino
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  3. T. Panteleitchouk
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  4. A. Zrineh
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  5. A. C. Freitas
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  6. A. C. Duarte
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  7. T. A. P. Rocha-Santos
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Correspondence to T. A. P. Rocha-Santos.

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Duarte, K.R., Justino, C., Panteleitchouk, T. et al. Removal of phenolic compounds in olive mill wastewater by silica–alginate–fungi biocomposites. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 11, 589–596 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-013-0268-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-013-0268-2

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