Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW) generated by the olive oil extraction industry is a major environmental problem in the Mediterranean area because of its high organic load and its high content of phytotoxic and antibacterial phenolic substances. To evaluate the effect of OMWapplication on soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity,spreading field experiments were carried out at Sidi Bouali (Tunisia) during four months.Treated soil with50 m3/haof OMW and one untreatedsoil were compared.Soil water retention was measuredat pressure potentials ranging from-10 to -153000 Cm.Saturated hydraulic conductivitywere determined by the constant headmethod. Olive mill wastewater (OMW) in soil reduced the waterretention for all times and for each pressure potential from -10 Cm to -15300 Cm.OMW increased the saturated hydraulicconductivity on the surface soil on the second month while decreased progressively on the third and fourth month after spreading
Abstract