Method for removal of coal tar based contaminants from waste waters

A method for substantially reducing concentrations of phenol and naphthalene contaminants in a waste water stream recovered from a wood product drying process employing a coal tar based wood preservative as a heat transfer medium and for providing a treated waste water stream containing an equilibrium concentration of the phenol and naphthalene contaminants and a substantially reduced biological oxygen demand, said method consisting essentially of:

• forming an intimate mixture comprising the waste water stream, at least one cationic organic polyelectrolyte demulsifying agent selected from the group consisting of polyamines and polyamides and at least one coal tar based extractant selected from the group consisting of creosote-coal tar solutions and creosote-petroleum oil solutions wherein the extractant and the waste water stream are present in the mixture in a ratio, by volume, of said extractant to said stream ranging from about 0.1:1 to about 10:1;
• subjecting the intimate mixture to an extraction temperature ranging from about 10.degree. C. to about 30.degree. C. for an extraction period of time sufficient to effect a transfer of the contaminants from the stream and into the extractant and thereby reduce the concentration of the contaminants in the stream to the equilibrium concentration for the contaminants at the extraction temperature employed;
• separating and recovering from the intimate mixture, a treated waste water stream characterized by a substantially reduced and constant concentration of the contaminants and a substantially reduced biological oxygen demand and a contaminant containing coal tar based extractant phase;
• and
• conveying the contaminant containing coal tar based extractant phase to a wood preserving process wherein the extractant is employed to impregnate wood products.