The production of olive oil generates olive mill wastewater (OMW) which essentially derives from the processing, treatment and pressing of olives in mills. Traditional milling processes require a quantity of water varying between 40 and 120 L per quintal of pressed olives, generating a considerable amount of wastewater. It is thus necessary to reduce process water and enhance its use to implement the concept of a circular economy. To this end, our preliminary work was dedicated to water purification by means of suitable and efficient filtration systems. The microfiltered OMW was firstly concentrated through reverse osmosis. Then, an additional concentration step was carried out via vacuum membrane distillation using hydrophobic hollow fiber membranes. The application of the membrane-based processes allowed the recovery of a purified water and the concentration of valuable polyphenols in a smaller volume. The different fractions obtained from the purification have been tested for the determination of the antioxidant power (DPPH assay) and dosage of polyphenols (Folin–Ciocalteu assay) and were characterized using IR spectroscopy. All samples showed relevant antioxidant activity (percentage range: 10–80%) and total phenolic content in the 1.5–15 g GAE/L range. The obtained fractions were tested for their antimicrobial effect on numerous clinical isolates of Gram-positive and Gram-negative species, resistant and multi-resistant to current antibiotic drugs. OMW samples showed widespread activity against the considered (phyto)pathogens (MIC range 8–16 mg/mL) thus supporting the value of this waste material in the (phyto)pharmaceutical field.

Purpose – Humanitarian demining is addressed as an engineering-driven duty, aiming at optimal price/effectiveness figures, joining low-cost robotics and flexible automation. The mine sweeping is highly dangerous task, and safety is sought by automatic rigs, with remote steering and control. The small price is achieved with resort to locally available equipment, technology and know-how. Design/methodology/approach – The robotic solutions are split at three levels: the mobility enabler, exploiting standard agricultural machinery; the demining outfits, specialising cheap end-effectors; the robot path planner, exploring reliable remote govern options. The approach aims at the pace-wise deployment of consistent rigs with assessed productivity and tiny investment. Findings – The paper explores basic ideas to modify common agricultural machines, placing in front proper effectors and specifying the guidelines needed to choose both carriers and suitable demining tools. The remote command logic of the suggested demining strategy is then outlined, specifying the communication and instrumentation for the case study. Finally, the warning/emergency occurrences management is described. Practical implications – The ensuing robotic equipment joins the remote-command abilities, with safe and reliable management of dangerous tasks and emergency healing, to the technological appropriateness (shared know-how and commitment) and the price tag fitness (on-place device availability). The final set-up grants dramatic up-grading, as compared with the current demining practice. Originality/value – Unmanned mine-clearing is presently a sophisticated accomplishment of the industrialised countries' armies. By the prospected methods/fixtures, the technical/economic feasibility of the practice is shown to be practicable in third-world countries.