Optimization of Biodegradation of Phenol in a Refinery Effluent Treatment Facility | Chapter 11 | Recent Advances in Biological Research Vol. 5
Background:
Regulatory agencies in Nigeria and all over the world demand that refinery
wastewater (RWW) meet stipulated regulatory limits before discharge into the
environment. Biodegradation of toxic hydrocarbon constituents of these
effluents, such as phenol, has remained a challenge with regards to compliance
with regulatory requirements.
Aims: This study investigated the
effect of micronutrients and macronutrients on the biodegradation of phenol in
RWW.
Methods: The micronutrients used in
the study were CoSO4, MnSO4, ZnSO4 and CuSO4
while the macronutrients comprised urea and NPK. Range-finding and optimum
concentration tests were performed for each of the nutrients. The experiment
was carried out in a 3L Erlenmeyer’s flask incubated in a rotary shaker under
experimentally determined optimum cultural conditions, using a fractional
factorial design. Phenol concentration (mg/ml) was monitored daily throughout
the experiment using spectrophotometric method.
Results: The result obtained from
the study revealed that a combination of CoSO4, MnSO4 and
NPK was most efficient in enhancing the degradation of phenol in the RWW. After
three days of incubation, phenol concentration of 141.99mg/ml was reduced to
0.1mg/ml. This value is lower than the phenol concentration of 0.5mg/ml
recommended for discharge of RWW into the environment. The degradation model
derived from the study can be represented with the equation, y = 8.4998e-2.302x
and R² = 0.961.
Conclusion: This study has revealed
that the combination of CoSO4, MnSO4 and NPK can
efficiently enhance phenol degradation in RWW for effectual compliance with the
regulatory discharge limit. This study has also demonstrated the positive
effect of micronutrients and macronutrients on the biodegradation of refinery
effluent. Amongst all the nutrients screened, the combination of NPK, MnSO4
and CaSO4 was most efficient in enhancing the biodegradation of
phenol in RWW. This could be as a result of preferential assimilation of these
specific nutrients by the microbial culture involved in the degradation.
Operators of petroleum refineries in Nigeria should employ the synergistic
effect of micronutrients and macronutrients in stimulating the microbial
culture for optimal biodegradation of phenol in RWW as identified in this
research.
Author(s) Details
Ifeyinwa Veronica Agu
Research and Development Division,
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Eleme Petrochemical (Life
Camp), P.M.B. 5373, Port Harcourt, Nigeria and Department of Microbiology,
Faculty of Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, P.M.B. 5323, Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Dr. Abiye Anthony Ibiene
Department of Microbiology,
Faculty of Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, P.M.B. 5323, Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Professor Gideon Chijioke
Okpokwasili
Department of Microbiology,
Faculty of Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, P.M.B. 5323, Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
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