Degradation of chlorophenols by sequential biological-advanced oxidative process using Trametes pubescens and TiO₂/UV

The degradation of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) via biological, advanced oxidative process (AOP) and sequential biological-AOP was investigated in this work. The white-rot fungus Trametes pubescens was used for the biodegradation of chlorophenols, while in AOP TiO₂/UV was used. In the biological degradation, the effect of glucose as a cofactor was also evaluated. The highest degradations were obtained when the reaction medium was supplemented with glucose, ranging from 94.6% to 37.8%, with degradation activity for 2-CP > 2,4-DCP > PCP > 2,4,6-TCP. During the AOP the removal initial rate increased in the following order 2-CP > 2,4,6-TCP > 2,4-DCP > PCP, and the obtained degradation range from 82.0% to 24.0%. When biological removal process, supplemented with glucose, was followed for an AOP process, 100% degradation was obtained for all the chlorophenols tested. These results suggest that the white-rot fungi T. pubescens could be used for the degradation of xenobiotic compounds, and its use with an advanced oxidative process, in a sequential mode, may be considered to obtain a complete removal of them.