Effect of Infiltration-Percolation Treatment of Olive Mill Wastewater on Cereal Seed Germination

Abstract

Olive mill wastewater (OMW) is a significant environmental pollutant due to its high organic load and toxicity, necessitating effective treatment methods. This study evaluates the impact of treating OMW through infiltration-percolation on the germination of cereal seeds, specifically durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The treatment involved using sand filters combined with lime and eucalyptus sawdust. Key physicochemical parameters, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), mineral matter (MM), organic matter (OM), and total organic carbon (TOC), were analyzed for both untreated OMW and the filtrates produced by the treatment. The results showed that the use of lime, alone or with eucalyptus sawdust, in the filtration process significantly increased the pH and EC, while leading to a highly significant reduction in BOD₅, MM, OM, and TOC. Germination tests indicated that the highest germination rates, 80% for both wheat and barley, were achieved with specific treatment filtrates. These findings suggest that infiltration-percolation is an effective method for reducing the pollutant load in OMW, making the treated wastewater potentially suitable for reuse in irrigation, thereby offering a sustainable approach to managing this industrial byproduct.