Treatment of Wine Distillery Wastewater: A Review with Emphasis on Anaerobic Membrane Reactors

This review summarises research efforts and case studies in the treatment of wine distillery wastewaters.Experiences in treating wine distillery wastewaters can contribute to the field of oenology, as many oenologists areconcerned with the selection, efficiency and economy of their wastewaters. Characteristics of wastewaters fromdifferent distilleries and various methods for treating these wastes are discussed. Wine distillery wastewaters arestrongly acidic, have a high chemical oxygen demand, high polyphenol content and are highly variable. Primaryattention is focused on the sustainable biological treatment of wine distillery wastewaters, mainly by energyefficientanaerobic digestion in different reactor configurations from bench to pilot and full-scale treatment. Finally,areas where further research and attention are required are identified