Bioremediation of phenolic compounds having endocrine-disrupting activity using ozone oxidation and activated sludge treatment

Abstract

The bioremediation of water system contaminated with phenolic compounds having endocrine-disrupting activity,i.e. 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D), and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4,5-T), was investigated by using ozone oxidation and activated sludge treatment. Ozone oxidation (ozonation time: 30 min) followed by activated sludge treatment (incubation time: 5 days) was an efficient treatment method for the conversion of phenolic compounds in water into carbon dioxide and decreased the value of total organic carbon (TOC) up to about 10% of initial value. Furthermore, 2,4-D was dissolved in water containing salt,i.e. artificial seawater (ASW), and this water was used as model coastal water contaminated with phenolic compounds. The activated sludge treatment (incubation time: 5 days) could consume significantly organic acids produced from 2,4-D in the model costal water by the ozone oxidation (ozonation time: 30 min) and decrease the value of TOC up to about 35% of initial value.