(i) The process is used to treat coke-oven plant effluents. In coke-oven plants, coke is derived from coal in special ovens, and effluent is conventionally treated by energy intensive multisage processes. SPIC has developed an alternative method which is economically viable and involves microbiological process. A mixed population of bacteria is used, which can degrade phenol upto 2,800ppm and ammonia upto 4,000ppm thicoyanates upto 1000ppm and cyanides upto 100ppm in a single stage. This is being commercialized.

(ii) The above process is also used for treating oil refinery waste waters, which contain wastes including phenol, oil, grease, sulphides and other inorganic salts. The microbiological processes are used for biodegradation of phenol, Catechol, cresols, resorcinols and other non-phenolic compounds that are present in oil refinery waste waters. The capital and operational costs are lower than the conventional ASP processes strains (ii) improving bioanalytical methods for measuring the level of contaminants, and (iii) developing analytical techniques for better understanding, control and optimization of environmental and reactor systems