they are powerful toxins and dangerous organic pollutants
[1-3]. By discharging waters containing high concentrations
of phenolic material to a receiver environment, undesirable
changes occur in biological life. For example, it has
been detected that physical circulation of N and P is prevented
and mineralization of the organic materials in soil is
reduced when polyphenol amounts that pass into soil exceed
3% [4]. At the same time, it is known that 6-7 mg/l of phenol
concentration in waters has lethal effects on fish [5].
For these reasons, the treatment of cork processing
wastewater has been subject of research, mainly by
Portuguese and Spanish research groups over the past decade.