Dephenolization of stored olive-mill wastewater, using four different adsorbing matrices to attain a low-cost feedstock for hydrogen photo-production

This investigation deals with the conversion of olive-mill wastewater (OMW) into several feedstocks suitable for hydrogen photo-production. The goal was reached by means of two sequential steps: (i) a pre-treatment process of stored-OMW for the removal of polyphenols, which made it possible to obtain several effluents, and (ii) a photo-fermentative process for hydrogen production by means of Rhodopseudomonas palustris sp. Four different adsorbent matrices (Azolla, granular active carbon, resin, and zeolite) were used to dephenolize stored-OMW. The four liquid fractions attained by using the above process created the same number of effluents, and these were diluted with water and then used for hydrogen photo-production. The maximum hydrogen production rate (14.31 mL/L/h) was attained with the photo-fermenter containing 25% of the effluent, which came from the pre-treatment of stored-OMW using granular active carbon. Using the carbon effluent as feedstock, the greatest light conversion efficiency of 2.29% was achieved.