Biodegradation of phenolic wastes

Phenolic biodegradation kinetics were determined in bioreactors with large solids retention times (SRT). Long term kinetic experiments were conducted in pulse-fed batch reactors for single substrate (phenol) and multiple substrates (combinations of glucose, phenol and pentachlorophenol). Short term initial rate experiments were also conducted on the single and multiple substrate reactors. Results indicate that phenol is metabolized at a maximum rate of 0.55 h−1 with a half saturation coefficient of 10 mg/1. Phenol concentrations in excess of 50 mg/1 inhibit the biodegradation rate. Our results also indicate that pentachlorophenol is cometabolized in the presence of phenol. It can be concluded that biodegradation of phenolic waste is a viable treatment option because the organisms, through their metabolic processes, reduced the waste concentrations below our detection limits.