Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Long-term performance of a membrane bioreactor treating table olive processing wastewater
AU - Patsios, Sotiris I.
AU - Papaioannou, Emmanouil H.
AU - Karabelas, Anastasios J.
PY - 2016/8/1
Y1 - 2016/8/1
N2 - BACKGROUND: Table olive processing wastewater (TOPW) is a seriously polluting and difficult to treat effluent, characterized by widely fluctuating pH and salinity, as well as high concentrations of organic matter and polyphenols. This systematic long-term study in a laboratory-scale pilot demonstrates that membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology is effective in substantially bio-degrading TOPW. RESULTS: After implementation of an appropriate protocol of active biomass acclimatization/proliferation, the MBR pilot was operated for 6 months with real TOPW effluent, under various operating conditions. Total organic carbon (TOC) and total polyphenol (TPh) compounds removal efficiencies were very high with mean values 91.5 and 82.8%, respectively; nutrient (N and P) removal was also satisfactory. The membrane exhibited stable performance at moderate biomass concentration, with a tendency to deteriorate at higher biomass concentration. Fouled membrane permeability could be fully restored by implementing the usual chemical cleaning protocols. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the high percentage TOC and TPh removal, the MBR effluent requires final post-treatment to remove a yellowish tint and further reduce its organic content, depending on local discharge standards. The MBR can serve as the basic treatment process in an integrated scheme for TOPW management, which needs additional R&D to further develop and optimize.
AB - BACKGROUND: Table olive processing wastewater (TOPW) is a seriously polluting and difficult to treat effluent, characterized by widely fluctuating pH and salinity, as well as high concentrations of organic matter and polyphenols. This systematic long-term study in a laboratory-scale pilot demonstrates that membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology is effective in substantially bio-degrading TOPW. RESULTS: After implementation of an appropriate protocol of active biomass acclimatization/proliferation, the MBR pilot was operated for 6 months with real TOPW effluent, under various operating conditions. Total organic carbon (TOC) and total polyphenol (TPh) compounds removal efficiencies were very high with mean values 91.5 and 82.8%, respectively; nutrient (N and P) removal was also satisfactory. The membrane exhibited stable performance at moderate biomass concentration, with a tendency to deteriorate at higher biomass concentration. Fouled membrane permeability could be fully restored by implementing the usual chemical cleaning protocols. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the high percentage TOC and TPh removal, the MBR effluent requires final post-treatment to remove a yellowish tint and further reduce its organic content, depending on local discharge standards. The MBR can serve as the basic treatment process in an integrated scheme for TOPW management, which needs additional R&D to further develop and optimize.
KW - aerobic degradation
KW - membrane bioreactor
KW - olive polyphenols
KW - olive wastewater treatment
KW - table olive processing
U2 - 10.1002/jctb.4811
DO - 10.1002/jctb.4811
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:84945930045
VL - 91
SP - 2253
EP - 2262
JO - Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology
JF - Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology
SN - 0268-2575
IS - 8
ER -