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Title:	The biodegradation of phenolics using mixed liquor from Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners Plant, Newark, New Jersey
Author:	Pak, Daewon
View Online:	njit-etd1985-026 (vii, 91 pages ~ 2.4 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Environmental Science
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Chemical Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Lewandowski, Gordon (Committee chair) Baltzis, Basil (Committee member) Bozzelli, Joseph W. (Committee member)
Date:	1985-05
Keywords:	Phenols -- Biodegradation Sewage -- Purification -- Biological treatment
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	The biological degradation of phenol, O-chlorophenol, and 2,6-dichlorophenol was studied at room temperature in aerated 5 liter batch reactors using mixed liquor from Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners Plant (Newark, New Jersey). From the concentration versus time data, kinetic rate constants were determined for phenol (at 100 ppm), 2'-chlorophenol (at 20 ppm), and 2,6-dichlorophenol (at 10 ppm). Air stripping and adsorption were determined to be insignificant removal mechanisms for the three compounds studied. It was noted that the biodegradation rates increased after the organisms were acclimated to 100 ppm phenol. In addition, on substrate exposure, the degradation rate increased from the first to second runs. Conversely, the addition of amino acids decreased the rate of biodegradation for 2-chlorophenol and 2,6-dichlorophenol.