A review of technologies for the phenolic compounds recovery and phenol removal from wastewater

The immoderate amount of phenol found in the water reservoir, i.e., river and municipal drain, has served as one major contributor to the scarcity of potable water worldwide. Many conventional methods have been applied to tackle polluted phenol water but suffer from various drawbacks. Special attention has been given to the photocatalytic membrane due to its ability to degrade phenol and sieving, a 2-in-1 function. Hence, this extensive report reviewed the extant trends in phenol removal such as distillation, adsorption, biodegradation, chemical oxidation, electrochemical oxidation, enzymatic treatment, and membrane technology. The in-depth discussion concerning the utilization of membrane as photocatalyst support media is also conferred, which could be the trendsetter in several years to come. (c) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Institution of Chemical Engineers.

Automated summary

The excessive amount of phenol found in water reservoirs, such as rivers and municipal drains, is a major contributor to the global scarcity of potable water. In recent years, special attention has been given to photocatalytic membranes for the treatment of polluted phenol water. Membrane technology, with its dual function of photocatalysis and sieving, may become a major trend in phenol removal in the future.