In this study, electrochemical oxidation of phenol was carried out in a parallel plate reactor using ruthenium mixed metal oxide electrode. The effects of initial pH, temperature, supporting electrolyte concentration, current density, flow rate and initial phenol concentration on the removal efficiency were investigated. Model wastewater prepared with distilled water and phenol, was recirculated to the electrochemical reactor by a peristaltic pump. Sodium sulfate was used as supporting electrolyte. The Microtoxe bioassay was also used to measure the toxicity of the model wastewater during the study. As a result of the study, removal efficiency of 99.7% and 88.9% were achieved for the initial phenol concentration of 200 mg/L and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 480 mg/L, respectively. In the same study, specific energy consumption of 1.88 kWh/g phenol removed and, mass transfer coefficient of 8.62 x 10(-6) m/s were reached at the current density of 15 mA/cm(2). Electrochemical oxygen demand (EOD), which can be defined as the amount of electrochemically formed oxygen used for the oxidation of organic pollutants, was 2.13 g O-2/g phenol. Electrochemical oxidation of petroleum refinery wastewater was also studied at the optimum experimental conditions obtained. Phenol removal of 94.5% and COD removal of 70.1% were reached at the current density of 20 mA/cm(2) for the petroleum refinery wastewater. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.