Batch and fixed bed column studies on phenolic adsorption from wine vinasses by polymeric resins

- Winery effluents can be used as raw matter for the recovery of polyphenols.
- Polyphenols can be recovered by adsorption in fixed-bed columns.
- Three simplified models were applied to predict breakthrough curves.
- The most important parameter affecting the adsorption was found to be as the flow rate.

The adsorption of phenolic compounds from wine vinasses onto non ionic resins was investigated with the goal of recovering antioxidant components from the effluent. Batch studies showed that the kinetic data fit to a pseudo-second order kinetic model. Dynamic adsorption studies with macroporous resins packed columns were also conducted to analyze the effect of initial phenolic concentration, the elution speed and the length of the packed bed on breakthrough curves. The experimental data showed that with increased column bed depth from 10 to 20 cm, breakpoint time (tb) increased from 19.6 to 25.6 min. The breakthrough curve was simulated well by Bohart-Adams, Yoon-Nelson and Thomas models. Bohart-Adams model was the only effective to fit the initial part (1-t1/2). The maximum removal capacity (qTh) calculated by Thomas model reached 98.3 mg/g at a flow rate of 5 mL/min.