Patent ID: 6936170

Claim:
A system for treating aqueous waste comprising: (a) a first vessel having a first inlet port and a first outlet port, wherein said first vessel contains means for degrading waste solids within said aqueous waste and means for separating waste solids and waste liquid; and (b) a second vessel comprising (1) a main biofilter chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port and containing therein aerobic and anaerobic bacteria without physical separation, wherein said aerobic and anaerobic bacteria are capable of growth in aminobenzene, phenol, monoethylamine, or mixtures thereof; and (2) a means for oxygenating said aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in said main biofilter chamber, including means for timing the oxygenation of said aerobic and anaerobic bacteria; wherein said inlet port of said biofilter chamber is fluidly connected to said first outlet port of said first vessel, wherein said aqueous waste is generated by any one of an agricultural runoff or an industrial process selected from the group consisting of an oil refining process, production of munitions, food processing, a chemical manufacturing process, a fertilizer manufacturing process and a tanning process.