Adopting strategies to improve the efficiency of ozonation in the real‐scale treatment of olive oil mill wastewaters

Abstract

In this experimental work the ozone action on the depuration of olive oil mill wastewater is studied for different operational conditions based on an actual industrial treatment plant. It was verified that the application of a Mn–Ce–O catalyst prepared at the laboratory, with a Mn/Ce molar proportion of 70/30, enhances the depuration efficiency and the effluent biodegradability. Ozonation operation at the natural pH of the effluent is recommended. Moreover, the integration of the Fenton process as a pretreatment improves the final chemical oxygen demand removal and enables a totally biodegradable effluent to be obtained, as confirmed by respirometric techniques.

Keywords:

• environment
• olive oil mill wastewaters
• Fenton process
• ozonation
• industrial assessment

Acknowledgements

Rui C. Martins gratefully acknowledges the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal, for the financial support under a PhD grant (BD/28854/2006).