A sustainable phenolic compound extraction system from olive oil mill wastewater

The reduction of environmental impact and the achievement of economic advantages based on by- product recovery is the aim of applying methodologies for phenolic compounds extraction from Olive Oil Mill Wastewater. Volume reduction of Olive Oil Mill Wastewater could generate important advan- tages in terms of waste disposal cost abatement and, in addition, reuse in the production of foods with health properties could lead to economic benefits. Despite the fact that literature shows that several techniques have been developed, few economic approaches have been presented. This paper assesses the economic feasibility of a system based on membrane filtration and reverse osmosis processes for phenolic compound extraction, considering their subsequent reuse to enrich Extra Virgin Olive Oil during the malaxation phase. In particular, an analysis of investment profitability was presented to establish the break-even point in terms of the incremental cost of olive oil enriched in polyphenols. Results confirm the sustainability of the process, showing a reduction of the waste product greater than 90%, and feasible solutions for the incremental cost of enriched Extra Virgin Olive Oil, considering a positive Net Present Value and a Payback Time not greater than four years.