Anaerobic activated carbon filter for the treatment of phenol-bearing wastewater

Abstract

An experiment using an activated carbon filter for the treatment of phenol-bearing wasterwater from coal gasification processes is discussed. Two granular-activated-carbon-packed anaerobic filter systems were constructed for use in the study. Both phenol and glucose of phenol-fed reactor systems were operated under continuous feeding for a period of 735 days. The glucose-fed reactor was very effective in reducing the organic content of the feed substrate. The performance of the phenol-fed reactor was tested at three different phenol concentration levels: (1) 200 mg/l; (2) 400 mg/l; and (3) 1000 mg/l. Using the 200 mg/l concentration of phenol an average 79% of the feed chemical oxygen demand (COD) was accounted for in the aqueous and gaseous phases of the final effluent. Using 400 mg/l the COD accounted for the aqueous and gaseous phases of the effluent rose to an average of 92%, and using 1000 mg/l, the COD removal efficiencies from the three columns fell to an average of 90%, respectively. Despite the differences in removal efficiencies between the different phases of the experiment, the granular-activated-carbon-packed anaerobic bioreactor proved to be an effective process in the reduction of phenol from a synthetically prepared wastewater. In addition to phenol reduction, there was alsomore » a consistent and effective reduction of the chemical oxygen demand and the total organic carbon content of the waste at a time when a methane-rich gaseous by-product was being produced simultaneously.« less