Olive processing wastewaters airsoft pfp (OPW), namely olive mill wastewater (OMW) and table-olive wastewaters (TOW) were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against five Gram-positive and two Gram-negative bacteria using the standard disc diffusion and thin layer chromatography (TLC)-bioautography assays.Disc diffusion screening and bioautography of OMW were compared to the phenolic extracts of table-olive brines.Positive activity against S.
aureus was demonstrated.The optimization of chromatographic separation revealed that hexane/acetone in the ratio of 4:6 was the most effective for phenolic compounds separation.A HPLC-MS analysis was performed showing that only two compounds, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, were the predominant phenolic compounds in all OPW.
The phenolic extract of paper lantern texture OMW generated by a semi-modern process showed the highest free radical-scavenging activity (DPPH assay) compared to the other phenolic extracts.It is apparent from the present study that OPW are a rich source of antioxidants suitable for use in food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical applications.