Treatment of olive mill effluents

Olive mill effluents constitute a serious environmental problem in the Mediterranean Sea region due to the unique features associated with this type of agro-waste (i.e. seasonal and localized production, high and diverse organic load, low flowrates). Therefore, it is not surprising that research efforts have been directed towards the development of efficient treatment technologies including various physico-chemical and biological processes. This work reviews recent advances regarding olive mill effluent treatment with emphasis given on biological and chemical degradation processes.