OLIVE-MILL WASTEWATER COMPOSTING: MICROBIOLOGICAL ASPECTS

Authors: Galli E.; Pasetti L.; Fiorelli F.; Tomati U.

Source: Waste Management & Research, Volume 15, Number 3, 1997 , pp. 323-330(08)

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Abstract:

Oxygen consumption, microbial growth, lignin and phenol degradation, urease, protease and nitrogenase activity were determined during the composting of an olive-mill wastewaters (OMW)-wheat straw mixture. Oxygen consumption, microbial growth and urease activity were greatly enhanced during the thermophilic phase, reaching their maximum in about three weeks. Casein-hydrolysing protease showed a high initial activity which sharply decreased after 2 weeks. At the end of the thermophilic phase both phenols and lignin were reduced by about 70%. Composting enhanced diazotrophic microflora as indicated by nitrogenase activity which increased at the end of the thermophilic phase.

Keywords: Olive-mill wastewaters; compost; lignin; phenols; urease activity; casein-hydrolysing activity; micro-organisms; oxygen consumption; nitrogenase activity

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: Istituto di Biochimica ed Ecofisiologia Vegetali, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche,?Area della Ricerca di Roma, Via Salaria km 29.300;, Monterotondo Scalo, (Roma), 00016, Italy

Publication date: 1997-01-01