Priority organic pollutants polychlorinated biphenyls

Petrasek et al. (1983) spiked the influent of an activated sludge plant with 50 /tg/liter of 22 organic compounds from the EPA list of priority pollutants. Polychlorinated phenols and biphenyls, phenols, phthalates, and PAHs were tested, with average removal rates of 97%. However, higher concentrations can destabilize an activated sludge system. The presence of cyanide, pentachlorophenol, 1,2-dichloropropane,acrylonitrile, phenolics, and ammonia can cause instability in the operation of activated sludge plants (Allsop et al., 1990). 

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