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Antioxidants
Volume 15
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10.3390/antiox15010012
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Article

From Waste to Resource: Extraction and Characterization of Polyphenols from Dalmatian Olive Mill Wastewater

by
Nina Knezovic
1,
Ajka Pribisalic
2,3,*,
Katarina Jurcic
1,
Ivica Ljubenkov
4,
Barbara Soldo
4,
Danijela Skroza
5,
Mladenka Sarolic
5,
Sanja Luetic
1,
Davorka Sutlovic
2,6 and
Zlatka Knezovic
1,2
1
Teaching Institute for Public Health, Split-Dalmatia County, 21000 Split, Croatia
2
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
3
Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
4
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Split, Ruđera Boškovića 33, 21000 Split, Croatia
5
Department of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry and Technology, University of Split, R. Boškovića 35, 21000 Split, Croatia
6
Department of Applied Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Antioxidants 2026, 15(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15010012 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 30 November 2025 / Revised: 16 December 2025 / Accepted: 18 December 2025 / Published: 21 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Antioxidants from Agri-Food Wastes, 2nd Edition)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Background: Olive cultivation and olive oil production are key agricultural sectors in the Dalmatia region, where numerous oil mills operate. Analyses have shown that extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) produced in this area contain respectable amounts of polyphenols, which contribute to superior oil quality due to their antioxidant properties. During processing, hydrophilic phenolic compounds predominantly transfer into olive mill wastewater (OMW), making it a concentrated source of valuable bioactive molecules. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and photoprotective effects of these polyphenols are highly relevant for cosmetic and pharmaceutical use. Methods: A total of 186 OMW samples were collected from oil mills in the Split-Dalmatia County across three production seasons (2023–2025). Total polyphenol content (TPC) was measured spectrophotometrically, while polyphenol composition was determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Antioxidant activity was evaluated using hydrogen atom transfer (HAT; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) (DPPH), electron transfer (ET; ferric reducing antioxidant power) (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay (ORAC). Results: The obtained results indicated high total polyphenols concentrations, with values ranging from 111.8 to 6717.2 mg of gallic acid equivalents per L of OMW (mg GAe L−1). In the vast majority of analyzed samples, hydroxytyrosol was the predominant phenol compound. The antioxidant activity of the samples was high.
Keywords: polyphenols; olive mill wastewater; polyphenol profile; HPLC; antioxidant activity; antioxidants polyphenols; olive mill wastewater; polyphenol profile; HPLC; antioxidant activity; antioxidants

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MDPI and ACS Style

Knezovic, N.; Pribisalic, A.; Jurcic, K.; Ljubenkov, I.; Soldo, B.; Skroza, D.; Sarolic, M.; Luetic, S.; Sutlovic, D.; Knezovic, Z. From Waste to Resource: Extraction and Characterization of Polyphenols from Dalmatian Olive Mill Wastewater. Antioxidants 2026, 15, 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15010012

AMA Style

Knezovic N, Pribisalic A, Jurcic K, Ljubenkov I, Soldo B, Skroza D, Sarolic M, Luetic S, Sutlovic D, Knezovic Z. From Waste to Resource: Extraction and Characterization of Polyphenols from Dalmatian Olive Mill Wastewater. Antioxidants. 2026; 15(1):12. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15010012

Chicago/Turabian Style

Knezovic, Nina, Ajka Pribisalic, Katarina Jurcic, Ivica Ljubenkov, Barbara Soldo, Danijela Skroza, Mladenka Sarolic, Sanja Luetic, Davorka Sutlovic, and Zlatka Knezovic. 2026. "From Waste to Resource: Extraction and Characterization of Polyphenols from Dalmatian Olive Mill Wastewater" Antioxidants 15, no. 1: 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15010012

APA Style

Knezovic, N., Pribisalic, A., Jurcic, K., Ljubenkov, I., Soldo, B., Skroza, D., Sarolic, M., Luetic, S., Sutlovic, D., & Knezovic, Z. (2026). From Waste to Resource: Extraction and Characterization of Polyphenols from Dalmatian Olive Mill Wastewater. Antioxidants, 15(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15010012

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