Toxicity and organic content characterization of olive oil mill wastewater undergoing a sequential treatment with fungi and photo-Fenton oxidation

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2009

Authors

Celine I Justino (Author) Other; Katia Duarte (Author) Other; Filipe Loureiro (Author) Other; Ruth Pereira (Author) Other; Sara C Antunes (Author) Other; Sergio. M Marques (Author) Other; Fernando Goncalves (Author) Other; Teresa A P Rocha Santos (Author) Other; Ana C Freitas (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Journal of Hazardous Materials

Vol. 172 No. 2

Pages: 1560-1572

ISSN: 0304-3894

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 56 Citations

Scopus - 59 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Civil engineering

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-DJ0

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.08.028

Abstract (EN): Olive oil mill wastewater (OOMW) is responsible for serious environmental problems. In this study, the efficiency of two treatments involving fungi and photo-Fenton oxidation, sequentially applied to OOMW was analyzed for organic compounds degradation and toxicity mitigation. The treatment with fungi (especially Pleurotus sajor caju) of diluted OOMW samples promoted a reduction of their acute toxicity to Daphnia longispina. Although this fungi species have not induced significant color reduction it was responsible for 72,91 and 77% reductions in chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phenolic and organic compound contents. After biological treatment, photo-Fenton oxidation seemed to be an interesting solution, especially for color reduction. However, the OOMWs remained highly toxic after photo-Fenton oxidation. Considering the second sequence of treatments, namely photo-Fenton oxidation followed by biological treatment, the former revealed, once more, a great potential because it can be applied to non-diluted OOMW, with significant reductions in COD (53-76%), total phenolic content (81-92%) and organic compounds content (100%). Despite fungal species still have demonstrated a high capacity for bioaccumulation of organic compounds, resulting from photo-Fenton oxidation, the biological treatment did not cause substantial benefits in terms of COD, total phenolic content and toxicity reduction.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 13