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

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Water Pollut. Control Fed.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5857752

Khan, K A ^[1]; Suidan, M T; Cross, W H

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1. Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA

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 also 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.

• OSTI ID: 5857752
• Journal Information: J. Water Pollut. Control Fed.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Water Pollut. Control Fed.; (United States) Vol. 53:10; ISSN JWPFA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
010800* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Waste Management
ACTIVATED CARBON
ADSORBENTS
ALDEHYDES
ALKANES
AROMATICS
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON
CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND
COAL GASIFICATION
ELEMENTS
FILTERS
FILTRATION
GASIFICATION
GLUCOSE
HEXOSES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LIQUID WASTES
METHANE
MONOSACCHARIDES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
REMOVAL
SACCHARIDES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER