MINOS PROGRAMME

Under the framework of the MINOS Programme, a technology, which will ensure the integrated olive oil mill wastewater management while simultaneously will lead to the recovery of high-added value substances, has been developed and is operated at pilot scale. The application of this technology leads to the production of:

1. Clean water suitable for irrigation or other productive purposes

2. Polyphenols (e.g. hydroxityrosol) suitable, in terms of chemical form and purity, for pharmaceutical use

3. Natural fertilizer (compost).

 The main steps of the developed technology are the following ones:

• Successive wastewater filtration steps

• Capture of the polyphenols by adsorbance resin

• Recovery of the captured polyphenols by using organic solvent

• Delivery of the polyphenols mixture through thermal recovery of the organic solvent

• Chromatographic separation of the polyphenols

• Composting of the sludge produced by the filtration steps and the olive leaves which are rejected as solid waste from the mills.