Title: Olive oil Mill Wastewater properties change during infiltration through clay soils

Authors: Adel Kharroubi, Raja Jarboui, Habib Abida, Emna Ammar

Addresses: Institut Superieur des Sciences et Techniques de l'Eau de Gabes, Cite Erriadh, Complexe Universitaire, Zrig 6072 Gabes, Tunisia. ' Laboratoire de Genie Enzymatique et de Microbiologie, ENIS, BP 'W' – 3038 Sfax, Tunisia. ' Faculte des Sciences de Sfax, Departement des Sciences de la Terre, BP 802, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia. ' UR Etude et Gestion des Environnements Urbains et Cotiers, LARSEN, ENIS, BP 'W' – 3038 Sfax, Tunisia

Abstract: Olive oil Mill Wastewaters (OMW), are stored in clay basins in the region of Sfax (Tunisia). Field permeability measurements showed that the clay is not completely impermeable and its structure can be modified by the infiltration of OMW. Analysis of chemical composition of soil revealed the presence of phenolic compounds resulting from the percolation of OMW. An infiltration filled with clay and submerged with OMW at a height of 1.5 m was used to study the composition change of the support as OMW percolates through the clay. Compared to the raw OMW, infiltrated effluent showed a decease of its polluting load.

Keywords: olive oil mills; wastewater storage; permeability; phenolic compounds; soil infiltration; polluting potential; Tunisia; wastewater percolation; environmental pollution; soil contamination.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2011.037874

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2011 Vol.3 No.1, pp.72 - 82

Published online: 25 Apr 2015 *

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