Phenolated waters, physicochemical and biological treatment

This book is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the presence and toxicity of phenols as well as potential methods for their removal from natural and waste waters. Phenols can be naturally produced by plants but also synthesized and found in various industrial effluents. Because of their high toxicity and low biodegradability, they are classified as toxic pollutants, which can be carcinogenic and mutagenic. They must therefore be transformed or eliminated in order to respect the authorized concentration limit in water. Various conventional biological and physico-chemical treatment techniques (coagulation-flocculation, adsorption, distillation-pervaporation, membranes, oxidation) can be applied. As for advanced oxidation processes, they mostly combine two or three oxidizing reagents, in homogeneous or heterogeneous phase, to produce hydroxyl radicals. In addition to the main technical and economic considerations, the selection must be made for appropriate, sustainable and environmentally friendly phenol degradation technologies.