The anaerobic digestion of oil wastes water and the sludges of their treatment is a biological process that allows the production of energy in the form of biogas. Our study is based on the comparison of the methanogenic capacity between the biogas of the oil wastes water and the sludges of their treatment.
Olive wastes water were previously treated by electrocoagulation and adsorption in optimal conditions. The sludge generated by the various treatments, estimated at 50 g/L of oil wastes water, is in turn treated by anaerobic digestion.
The production of methane from the two wastes is accompanied by the reduction of their pollutant load evaluated in non-biodegradable organic matter, polyphenols and fat respectively by 39 %, 45 % and 39 % for sludge of oil wastes water and 36 %, 31 % and 39 % for oil waste water; a total yield of pollutant load of oil waste water from about 75 % to 78 %. The total amount of methane produced for 30 days and 49 days respectively by olive mill wastewater and their treatment sludge is 300.7 cm3/L and 889.9 cm3/L is an energy equivalent of 2.92 Wh/L and 8.72 Wh/L.
The use of the anaerobic digestion process of oil wastes water treatment sludge is efficient and cost-effective for biogas production while eliminating their harmful effects on the environment.