Effect of hydraulic retention time and filling time on simultaneous biodegradation of phenol, resorcinol and catechol in a sequencing batch reactor

Abstract

In the present study, treatment of synthetic wastewater containing phenol, resorcinol and catechol was studied in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). Parameters such as hydraulic retention time (HRT) and filling time have been optimized to increase the phenol, resorcinol, catechol and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies. More than 99% phenol, 95% resorcinol and 96% catechol and 89% COD removal efficiency was obtained at optimum conditions of HRT = 1.25 d and fill time = 1.5 h. The heating value of the sludge was found to be 12 MJ/kg. The sludge can be combusted to recover its energy value. © Copyright by Polish Academy of Sciences and Institute of Environmental Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Zabrze, Poland 2012.