ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the Rotating Biological Contactors (RBCs) which has several advantages over other biological treatment systems. It provides high levels of removal while requiring lower energy inputs and much smaller area. They are highly efficient in oxygen transfer. The chapter presents the study to examine the treatability of four chlorinated phenols 2-chlorophenol; 2,4-dichlorophenol; 2,4,6-trichlorophenol; and pentachlorophenol using a pilot-scale RBC unit. It shows a major portion of the studies on the biological treatment of chlorinated phenols and other hazardous compounds are sponsored by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). L. F. Tischler and D. Kocurek examines the effectiveness of biological treatment in removing toxic organic pollutants from chemical industry wastewaters. Operational data from activated sludge treatment systems operated by five organic chemicals manufacturing plants were compiled and evaluated. The chapter reports that these treatment systems produced excellent effluent quality in terms of five-day biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), and suspended solids.
