The Effects of the Secondary Carbon Source on the Biodegradation of Chlorinated Phenols in Biofilm Reactors

The effects of the presence of a secondary carbon source on the biodegradation of chlorinated phenols were studied with column biofilm reactors. The biodegradability of chlorinated phenols was studied with a series of batch reactors. The biodegradability of chlorinated phenols was to follow the order of phenol > 2,4-dichlorophenol > 4-chIorophenol > 2,4,6-trichlorophenol > 2-chlorophenol > 3-chloro-phenol. The presence of a relatively more biodegradable but higher chlorinated phenol, such as 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, enhanced the biodégradation of a less chlorinated butrecalcitrantphenol, such as 2-chlorophenol. The addition of phenol, an easily biodegradable compound, generally decreased the biodegradation of chlorinated phenols.