CHLORINATED PHENOLICS REMOVAL FROM BLEACHED KRAFT MILL WASTE-WATER IN 3 SECONDARY-TREATMENT PROCESSES

Laboratory-scale activated sludge (AS), facultative stabilization basin (FSB) and aerated stabilization basin (ASB) processes were operated in parallel treating bleached kraft mill effluent under controlled SRT and temperature conditions, to assess the chlorinated phenolics removal efficiencies attainable in each. The structure and extent of chlorination of the chlorophenolic compounds monitored appeared to contribute to the differing removal efficiencies observed. Under most operating conditions, treatment process effluents contained chronically toxic levels of pentachlorophenol-equivalent toxicity (TEQ). A comparison of the results obtained from the FSB, ASB and AS processes indicated that, under most operating conditions, chlorophenolics removal in low rate treatment systems is superior to that in a higher rate activated sludge treatment process. However, it was also observed that operation at long SRT and moderate temperature permitted enhanced removal of chlorophenolics and reduced TEQs to less than threshold values, in all three treatment processes.