Biodegradation of Phenol Using Rotating Biological Contactor

Phenol is one of the most widely used organic compounds for the manufacture of synthetic compounds including pesticides and resins. Phenol enters the soil and water through different pathways from plastic manufacturing, oil purification, coke manufacturing and pharmaceutical effluents. The presence of phenol in water when consumed by human beings results in symptoms such as gastrointestinal illness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Scope of this study is to degrade phenol from wastewaters in an eco friendly manner using various micro-organisms, so as to reduce the adverse effects of phenol on environment. Biodegradation of phenol was carried out in Rotating Biological Contactor. Promising results were obtained during this study which indicates that this system may be adopted by industries for the biodegradation of phenol from wastewaters.