Estimation of biodegradation parameters of phenolic compounds on activated sludge by respirometry

The bio-oxidation of phenol, catechol, resorcinol, m-cresol and 5-methylresorcinol on activated sludge was investigated by oxygen uptake measurements. In addition, the degradation of acetate with the same microbial population was studied. The substrate-dependent oxygen uptake data were analysed on the basis of the Michaelis–Menten kinetics. The extant kinetic parameters, the maximum rates of oxygen consumption and half-saturation constants for the processes with different substrates were determined. The simple respirometric approach also made it possible to determine the short-term oxygen demands of the substrates which formed 23–38% of the theoretical oxygen demand of the studied compounds.