Degradation of phenol and p-cresol in reactors

Research Article| September 01 2000 Degradation of phenol and p-cresol in reactors Herbert H.P. Fang; Herbert H.P. Fang *Environmental Engineering Research Centre, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Gong-Ming Zhou Gong-Ming Zhou **National Engineering Research Center for Urban Pollution Control, Tongji University, Shanghai, China Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Water Sci Technol (2000) 42 (5-6): 237–244. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2000.0519 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Cite Icon Cite Permissions Search Site Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll JournalsThis Journal Search Advanced Search Citation Herbert H.P. Fang, Gong-Ming Zhou; Degradation of phenol and p-cresol in reactors. Water Sci Technol 1 September 2000; 42 (5-6): 237–244. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2000.0519 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex The effects of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and phenol concentration on the degradation of phenol and p-cresol in wastewater were investigated in two respective UASB (upflow anaerobic sludge blanket) reactors with effluent recirculation at 37 °C for over 440 days. After acclimation, nearly all the phenol and p-cresol at moderate concentrations could be degraded without carbohydrate as a co-substrate. Treating a wastewater containing 800 mg/l of phenol and 300 mg/l of p-cresol at HRT ranging 2–12 hours, the first reactor consistently removed 95% of phenol, 65% of p-cresol and 85% of COD at 8–12 hours of HRT; the efficiency, however, decreased at lower HRT. Treating wastewater containing a constant p-cresol concentration of 400 mg/l at 24 hours of HRT, the second reactor was able to remove 75–80% of COD when the phenol was 1200 and 1500 mg/l; the removal efficiency decreased as phenol concentration further increased. High levels of residual phenol and p-cresol in the effluent suppressed the activity of biogranules. The suppression of bioactivity was not permanent. Biomass was able to regain its activity fully after lowering the phenolic concentrations in the wastewater. anaerobic, bioactivity, p-cresol, phenol, UASB, wastewater This content is only available as a PDF. © IWA Publishing 2000 You do not currently have access to this content.