A new technique for the extraction of biodiesel from olive water provides the opportunity to drastically reduce the discharge of olive water, while providing an environmentally sustainable fuel source.
The technique was initially developed by Tunisian scientist Dr Kamel Halouani, a researcher and teacher at the Sfax Preparatory Insitute for Engineering Studies.
Dr Halouani then completed the development project in the laboratories of Virginia Tech University in the US, in collaboration with American researcher Foster Agbivor.
The process uses black water as a production base for biodiesel. Black water is the water-based liquid waste produced during olive oil extraction, which also contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micro-nutrients. In Dr Halouani’s technique, acids and glucose are removed from the black water to produce biodiesel.
