Bioremediation of Olive Mill Wastewater through Phenolic Removal and High-Purity Oleuropein Recovery

The initiative focuses on advancing biotechnological approaches for the separation, purification and processing of phenolic compounds present in olive mill residues, such as wastewater and solid by-products. These residues contain bioactive molecules—consistent with Avicenna’s expertise in natural compound extraction and bioprocess engineering—yet they also contribute to environmental burdens and inhibit downstream valorisation streams if untreated. The project aims to generate process-ready knowledge and demonstrable methods that support the circular use of biomass and minimise pollution, in line with Cluster 6 objectives to strengthen sustainable bio-based systems and reduce environmental degradation.

The work intends to deliver laboratory-validated biotechnological processes enabling the selective recovery and purification of relevant phenolic compounds. This aligns with Avicenna's established capabilities in bioactive compound extraction, analytical sciences and bioprocess development across the full innovation lifecycle. The resulting processed streams are expected to be more suitable for subsequent bio-based transformations, while the recovered molecules can serve as inputs for further research in food, health or biotechnology domains.

The opportunity is positioned within Horizon Europe Cluster 6, particularly the Destination on circular economy and sustainable bioeconomy sectors, which emphasises transforming waste into resources, improving biomass utilisation and reducing pollution through innovation in biotechnology and bio-based systems. The initiative offers consortium partners a technology-oriented contributor capable of supplying experimental evidence, process optimisation capabilities and analytical validation relevant for work packages targeting sustainable biomass valorisation.