Treatment of substituted phenol mixtures in single phase and two-phase solid-liquid partitioning bioreactors

► We investigate the biodegradation of a phenolic mixture (2,4-dimethylphenol and 4-nitrophenol). ► We identify an effective polymer to absorb these substrates. ► We utilize the polymer in a Two Phase Partitioning Bioreactor (TPPB) to overcome cytotoxicity. ► The polymer-based TPPB significantly out-performs a single phase system. ► The re-release of the substrates at differing rates (based on the partition coefficients) affects the process kinetics.