Solvent extraction is an effective way to treat and recover the phenolic compounds from the high content phenolic wastewater at present. The experimental study on treating the wastewater containing phenol has been carried out with QH-lextractant (the amine mixture) and annular centrifugal contactors. The distribution ratio of phenol was 108.6 for QH-1-phenol system. The mass-transfer process of phenol for the system was mainly controlled by diffusion. When the flow ratio (aqueous/organic) was changed from 1/1 to 4/1, the rotor speed was changed from 2500 to 4000r/rnin, and the total flow of two phases was changed from 20 to 70mL/min, the mass-transfer efficiency E of the single-stage centrifugal contactor was more than 95%. When the flow ratio was changed from 4.4/1 to 4.9/1, the rotor speed was 3000r/min, and the total flow of two phases was changed from 43.0 to 47.0 mL/min, the extraction rate rho of the three-stage cascade was more than 99%. When 15% NaOH was used for stripping of phenol in QH-1, the stripping efficiency of the three-stage cascade was also more than 99% under the experimental conditions. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.