OPTIMIZATION OF AN ION EXCHANGE PROCESS BASED ON A WEAK-ACID CATIONIC

RESIN AND A STRONG-BASE ANIONIC RESIN FOR THE TREATMENT OF OLIVE MILL
EFFLUENT
Mara Dolores Vctor-Ortega
Javier Miguel Ochando-Pulido
Antonio Martnez-Frez
1

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain

ABSTRACT
In this research work, the final purification of two-phase olive mill wastewater (OMW-2),
previously subjected to a secondary treatment, through a combination of two ion exchange
(IE) resins is addressed. The IE resins used in the optimization studies were: a strong-acid
cation exchange resin and a weak-base anion exchange resin. Central composite design was
used for the optimization of the IE process. In this sense, the effects of temperature, flow rate
and initial pH on the pollutant removal efficiencies were investigated. Under optimal
conditions pollutants concentrations were lower than maximum established limits. The
proposed IE process yielded up to 75% removal of these pollutants when the initial pH,
operating temperature and flow rate were set to 4.1, 31.2 C and 7.6 L h-1, respectively. Under
these conditions, the achieved concentrations for all contaminants in the final stream were
maintained below the maximum established limits. Finally, high treated effluent volume
recovery (22 L) could be achieved in continuous mode under the optimal operating conditions
found, complying with standards for reuse in the production process. This IE system may
replace membrane technology for the final purification of two-phase olive mill wastewater,
which implies higher operating costs as high pressures are needed to achieve similar removal
efficiencies.
Keywords: Optimization; Olive mill wastewater; Pollutants; Purification; Removal efficiencies.

Sustainable Development Symposium | 6th annual European postgraduate symposium | 1