title: Peroxidase-catalyzed removal of phenols from a petroleum refinery wastewater.
abstract: The phenol content of a petroleum refinery wastewater was reduced below the discharge limit following treatment with horseradish peroxidase and H2O2. Approximately 58% of COD, 78% of BOD5, and 95% of toxicity were removed along with the phenols. As a result of treatment, phenols were transformed into less biodegradable compounds which could be removed by subsequent coagulation and precipitation. Optimization of the peroxide concentration led to 20% enzyme savings. The use of PEG and chitosan as protective additives resulted in 4 and 25-fold reductions in enzyme requirements, respectively. Phenol removal did not appear to be adversely affected by the presence of other hydrocarbons that are frequently present in refinery wastewaters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics, McGill University, 817 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2K6.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nicell
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D002686:Chitin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D048271:Chitosan; D017666:Deuterium Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase / Q000737:chemistry; D010578:Petroleum; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D010578:Petroleum; D010636:Phenols; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D012997:Solvents; D002686:Chitin; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D048271:Chitosan; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D017666:Deuterium Oxide