The report gives results of the first phase of a project to assess the environmental impact of coal conversion wastewaters and to evaluate, by bench-scale tests, alternative treatment methods. Characteristics of coal conversion wastewaters were obtained from the literature and from information gathered during visits to facilities for coal conversion process development. For all these wastewaters, about 60-80% of total organic carbon is phenolic. Remaining organic material includes, nitrogen-containing aromatics, oxygen- and sulfur-containing heterocyclics, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and simple aliphatic acids. To test treatment methods, especially biological treatability, on these wastewaters, a synthetic wastewater was formulated which includes 28 organic compounds, inorganic nutrients, and pH buffering additives. For each class of compounds in real wastewaters, one or more representatives are in the synthetic wastewater at the appropriate mean concentrations. Experiments are underway using the synthetic wastewater at quarter strength in four 25-liter biological treatment units. These units are to test biodegradability as a function of retention time and produce acclimated microorganisms for use in respirometric studies.

"University of North Carolina, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering." "Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory, Office of Energy, Minerals, and Industry, Research Triangle Park, N.C." Sept. 1978. Includes bibliographical references. "Grant no. R804917, program element no. EHE623A."