Phenolic Shock Load in a Submerged Ceramic Membrane Bioreactor for the Degradation of Aqueous Phenol

Laboratory-scale experiments were conducted to study the treatment of phenol contaminated wastewater using submerged ceramic membrane bioreactor (SCMBR) with flat-sheet-type ceramic membrane module. The effects of organic loading rate on the phenol degradation were studied using Polyseed bacteria containing a mixed culture of microorganisms with and without acclimatization. The experimental results showed that the phenol removal efficiency was over 75% at phenol concentrations of 400 mg/l with the COD removal efficiency of greater than 80%. For phenol concentrations of 800 mg/l, the removal efficiency dropped to about 40%, however, the system returned to its previous treatment efficiency once the phenol load was removed. As a result, it was observed that the bacteria survived at the high load phenol concentration of 800 mg/l