Zeolite in Agriculture

No matter how hard they try to convince us, pessimistic approaches remain just that and do absolutely nothing to change the situation. Because it is only through large-scale projects that Greece can change and secure a future. Among these projects we include the Greek Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with the EuroAsia Interconnector power cable, the EastMed natural gas pipeline, Greek zeolite with all its applications, and Greek innovation on the international stage. For these are not merely on a par with the Egnatia Motorway or the Ionian Motorway, or even the Rio–Antirrio Bridge, but they far exceed them, because they ... Read more

When we look at the problems we face, over time we come to realise that they stem not from their very nature, but from the way they are managed. So whilst we may have the impression that things are difficult, at least at first, after so many attempts we see that it is ultimately our own incompetence that traps us. We are, then, free yet besieged in our own homeland, but not by foreigners, merely by those we chose to solve our problems, without realising that this does not, in essence, concern them. For it is inconceivable that, after all ... Read more

Photographs of a vegetable garden and a vineyard where zeolite has been incorporated into the soil.

Article Synopsis The International Symposium on Zeolite and Microporous Crystals 2015 (ZMPC2015) was held at the Sapporo Convention Center, Japan, from 28th June to 2nd July 2015 and had 435 attendees from 32 countries, with 75% from Japan, China, Korea or Taiwan. 396 presentations covered all aspects of zeolites and microporous crystals over four days. Catalysis and synthesis were the two main themes (46% of all presentations) with the others being: new porous materials; membranes and films; adsorption and diffusion; characterisation; novel applications; industrial applications; layered materials; computational chemistry; post-synthetic treatment; crystallography; and ion exchange. There were six plenary talks ... Read more

If there is one major problem that zeolite can definitively solve through its application, it is the issue of goat manure for olive growers. Those unfamiliar with the difficulty of this issue, due to the odour and toxicity involved, cannot fully appreciate the pressures placed on olive oil producers when dealing with olive pomace. Whereas, with the use of zeolite, the solution is simple. And this is not merely an experimental stage that has taken place exclusively in a research laboratory. Following a lecture on zeolite in Nemea, we came into contact with three-phase olive oil mills. Specifically, for 500 ... Read more

In olive oil production in Crete, at the olive mill level, we also produce olive mill wastewater (“katsigaros”). The problem is that olive mill wastewater significantly affects soil properties, such as pH and electrical conductivity. Thus, rocks containing illite exhibit significant adsorption capacity in response to the phenols present in the olive mill waste. More generally, then, we have a problem of pollution from olive mill waste, because most olive oil producers do everything they can to dispose of their olive mill wastewater (“katsigaros”), causing environmental problems that are not only chemical in nature but also involve odour. The worst ... Read more

With the Mafia having got its hands on olive oil too, the revelation that most of the extra virgin olive oil exported from Italy is ‘fake’ has shocked consumers around the world The well-known CBS programme ‘60 Minutes’, in an investigation carried out in Italy, revealed that the majority of Italian extra virgin olive oil exported (mainly to the US) is nothing more than cheap oil that fails to meet the specific standards promised by its producers. According to the programme’s report, the Italian police seized over 7,000 bottles of ‘extra virgin’ olive oil last month alone. Most of this ... Read more

If olive oil producers paid more attention to the symbol of the olive tree and all the hardships it has overcome over so many centuries, they would not be tackling their problems in this way. For the symbol also inspires greater respect for the product itself. Olive oil is the essence of the olive. And it is no coincidence that it holds such great significance in Christianity. All these factors are not merely a matter of commerce, as some believe, who try to convince us that it is normal for the entire harvest to be sold in bulk—and indeed abroad—to ... Read more

The bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is causing increasing damage to crops in Italy and there is, of course, a risk of it spreading. This bacterium infects pear, almond and peach trees, as well as olive trees. This new outbreak is taking on enormous proportions due to the size of the olive groves. And at present, combating the disease once it has appeared is extreme and irreversible for the tree, as it essentially leads to its destruction. So, before we get to the bacterial level, it is worth recalling that Xylella fastidiosa is transmitted by insects of the families Cicadellidae and Cercopidae, ... Read more

Red wine produced using zeolite in the vineyard, in Nea Orestiada. A vineyard of Greek varieties: 80% Xinomavro, 15% Mavroudi of Thrace, 5% Muscat Producer’s details: Grigoris Azoridis, tel: 694 4460874

Lecture by Nikos Lygeros on the topic: ‘Strategic zeolites and the development of Amari’. Amari Town Hall, Crete. Thursday 10 December 2015.