Phenolic wastewater treatment by additional energy and carbon source co-substrate

Recalcitrant compounds such as phenol with high salinity condition due to their toxic an inhibitory nature have a negative impact on the efficiency of wastewater treatment by biological methods. Anaerobic degradation of saline [8 g Na+/L] and phenolic wastewater, under mesophilic was studied in two continuous anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR). We researched the effect of acetate on the biomass recovery after a phenol loading shock, and effect of butyrate on the phenol degradation process with AnMBR technology. Removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and phenol after recovery period, among other variables were measured during the reactor operation. This work shows the efficiency of AnMBR technology in the degradation of inhibitory saline phenolic wastewater. In addition, this research shows the role of co-substrate in biomass recovery and phenol degradation after an intoxication period due to a phenol shock load. This master thesis was developed as part of the BioXtreme project. This project is supported by the Dutch technology foundation (STW, Project No.13348), which is part of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NOW), partially sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. This research is co-sponsored by Evides Industriewater and Paques B.V.