Studies on the activated sludge process crucial parameters controlling olive mill wastewater treatment.

Olive mill wastewater (OMW) represents a severe environmental problem for Mediterranean producer countries. The release of OMW, in urban areas, in public sewerage system constitute a serious problem for wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) based on biological processes. This study delivers a critical and a comprehensive analysis on activated sludge biomass and process crucial parameters involved in the treatment of OMW.

Biomass behaviour in a conventional activated sludge system treating olive mill wastewater.

The current work aims to study the biomass behaviour in a continuous mode activated sludge system (ASS) treating olive mill wastewater (OMWW) through an increasing OMWW food to microorganism ration (F/M). To this end, the biomass growth, the specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR), microbial characterization, sludge volume index (SVI) as well as COD and phenolic compounds removal efficiencies were examined over time. Results showed a successful growth of the biomass that reached 6.