ADSORPTION AND MICROBIAL-DEGRADATION OF ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS IN OIL-SHALE RETORT WATER

Studies were conducted to investigate the mechanisms of removal (adsor ption and biodegradation) of organic compounds of environmental concer n in a continuous retort water treatment cell (RWTC), in which a bed o f solid wastes was irrigated with the retort water. The adsorption mec hanisms were investigated in batch experiments. The results show that initial adsorption (40-90%) occurs very rapidly and is followed by slo wer adsorption (10-60%) until equilibrium is achieved after 200-300 h, the actual period depending on the initial concentration of total org anic carbon (TOC) and the solid:solution ratio. The microbial species responsible for aerobic biodegradation within the treatment cell were identified. Fungi were dominant in the upper part of the cell. Bacteri a of the genera Pseudomonas, Agrobacterium and Bacillus were dominant in the lower parts.