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FAIR-CT98-9584
Recycling and use of waste from olive oil production |
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Type of Project | Cooperative Research |
| Contract No | FAIR-CT98-9584 | |
| Total Cost | ||
| EC Contribution | ||
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| Duration | ||
| Source: | Progress Report 2000 |
Introduction
The activities are presented in terms of the various work-packages being undertaken.
Work-package 1 The data from the solvent extraction of the waste are yet to be reported. This is due to the unavailability of the analyser equipment. A report will be submitted as soon as the analysis has been completed. Using super critical fluid extraction on the waste has been shown to mainly produce further olive oil and the likely valuable compounds only being 5% of the extract. Squalene is under 0.5% of the extract.
Work-package 2 In this activity the dust from olive kernels, sawdust and their mixtures were thermally treated at 150ºC and their absorbing effectiveness on aviation fuels was evaluated. Irrespective of the aviation fuel used, the calorific value of the sawdust and the olive seed dust increased to around 37 kcal/g on a dry basis due to the absorption of the fuel. The results also give the calorific values of the final semi-solid fuels. This value, for all fuels concerned varies from 8.2-9.3 kcal/g of the semi-solid fuel. This range of values represents an increase in the calorific value of up to 640% on a dry basis or up to about 86% on a mixed basis.
These values are very similar to the results obtained from the fuel treatment at 110, 120 and 135ºC suggesting that all options of the fuels used and their consequent treatment so far, are suitable for use as absorbing materials in airports. Samples of 3 different olive kernels from the Italian partners were analysed. The notable differences compared to the Greek kernels are the lower calorific value and higher ash content. They showed good absorption characteristics on both jet fuels, rendering them excellent absorbing materials. The first mixtures of the Greek fuels have been sent to EKO aviation for use on the oil-spills at Athens airport. The material collected was sent to BEK for subsequent combustion. No problems were encountered either during the collection or the combustion process.
Work-package 3 The most effective oil mill waste has been determined (Megara) and a combination with another biosorbent (de-alginated seaweed) has been successful, making the biomass more effective in the adsorption of metal ions from single and mixed solutions of 5, 10, 50 and 100 ppm. Metal uptake isotherms have been constructed and the capability of the combined biomass has been determined The determination of the adsorption capacity of the olive mill waste biomass (Megara) for three dyes (reactive) has also been completed.
The equilibrium isotherm curves produced are a distinctive "s" shape. Cu was closer to a type II isotherm whereas Cd and Pb were closer to a type I isotherm. In single solutions contacted with single Megara biomass, Pb was preferred for adsorption at higher concentrations and Cd was preferred over the other two metals at lower concentrations. Considering the mixed solutions with single Megara biomass, Cd and Pb were equally preferred at lower concentrations whereas Pb was clearly better than the other two at higher concentrations.
The use of mixed biomass (50-50) produced considerably higher % adsorption for single metal ion solutions, with Cd and Pb being adsorbed at more than 90% and 80% respectively. In mixed solutions, the 50-50 mix proved to be more effective than the 60-40 mix and Pb was preferred in 50 and 100 ppm whereas Cd was preferred at 10 and 5 ppm. Finally, all three dyes demonstrate minimal adsorption (a maximum of 13%), which occurs mostly in the first 15 minutes of the process. There is considerable leaching from the biomass.
Work-package 4 The work carried out in the past six months covered the purification of 3 phase olive oil mill wastewater by means of aerobic fermentation, physico-chemical treatment and anaerobic digestion. The aerobic fermentation involved the use of a new yeast (Candida lypolitica) and the previously used Candida tropicalis. Aerobic fermentation was carried out in an 18 litre fermenter to allow the pre-treatment of enough wastewater to be used as feed for the 20 litre anaerobic digesters. The start-up of both reactors was successful and they are currently be' maintained and monitored to assess their mg purification capacity and efficiency. The experiments using a flocculent to remove some of the COD and phenol content were not satisfactory, thus, it was preferred to carry on with the aerobic fermentation as a pre-treatment prior to the anaerobic digestion.
Work-package 5 Three teams of ISA are involved in order to study the possibility of the use of Olive Mill Waste (OMW) as soil enhancer. The results presented are on the progress of the five field experiments and of the two laboratory experiments carried out in the period January - June 2000. In particular, we fully describe the laboratory experiments with small pots and big pots (lysimeters) and we give more details about the field experiments on the gas emission from soil treated with OMW. Some results about the growth of young olive orchards treated and untreated with OMW are given. Moreover, preliminary results about the gas flux emitted by a treated soil regarding phenols and sulphur dioxide are shown. The evolution of some important fertility compounds (nitrate and ammonium ions) in the soil was determined in laboratory experiment with lysimeters and some preliminary results are available concerning crop germination and evapotranspiration in laboratory experiment with small pots.
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