Identification of Phenolic Compounds Extracted from OMW Using LC-MS

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Agricultural Science
• Food Chemistry

Background:

• Olive mill wastewater (OMW) is a major pollutant from olive oil production due to high organic matter content.
• Valorization of OMW is crucial to mitigate environmental impact and explore potential resource recovery.
• Phenolic compounds in OMW contribute to its biological activity and potential applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the valorization of OMW through the extraction of phenolic compounds.
• To evaluate the effect of different extraction methods and solvents on phenolic content and antioxidant potential.
• To identify phenolic profiles and their correlation with antioxidant activity in OMW extracts.

Main Methods:

• Liquid-liquid extraction using ethyl acetate.
• Maceration using chloroform/methanol (1:1) solvent mixture.
• Antioxidant activity assessment using the ABTS test.
• Phenolic compound profiling using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS).

Main Results:

• Liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate yielded the highest polyphenol content (1.17 g GAE/L).
• Maceration with chloroform/methanol achieved a polyphenol content of 1.07 g GAE/L.
• Methanolic extract exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity (15.75 mg/L) via ABTS assay.
• UHPLC-MS analysis revealed distinct phenolic profiles across different extracts, indicating a complex relationship between compound concentration and antioxidant activity.

Conclusions:

• Ethyl acetate liquid-liquid extraction is an effective method for OMW valorization, maximizing phenolic compound recovery.
• The antioxidant activity of OMW extracts is influenced by specific phenolic profiles, not solely total phenolic content.
• Further investigation into the identified phenolic profiles is necessary to fully understand their contribution to antioxidant potential and potential applications.