THE TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENCE OF THE KINETIC-PARAMETERS DERIVED FOR THE AEROBIC TREATMENT OF WASTE-WATER FROM THE WASHING OF OLIVES PRIOR TO THE OIL PRODUCTION PROCESS

A kinetic study of aerobic treatment of wastewater produced from the w ashing of olives, prior to the olive oil manufacturing process, was ca rried out at two different temperatures (14 and 28 degrees C) and hydr aulic retention times of 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 h. The wastewater was mo re efficiently treated at an operating temperature of 28 degrees C. Ov er 93% of soluble COD was removed at a retention time of 6 h whereas a t 14 degrees C, COD removal was only 67% at the same retention time. A t 28 degrees C the maximum specific substrate utilization rate (q(m))w as about 11 times faster than at 14 degrees C. The biokinetic paramete rs mu(m) (maximum growth rate of microorganisms), K-s (saturation cons tant) and k(d) (endogenous respiration coefficient) were temperature d ependent and showed higher values at 28 degrees C than at 14 degrees C . The overall growth yield (Y) was of the same order of magnitude at t he different temperatures.