A simulated wastewater containing phenol (2500 mg/L), thiocyanate and ammonia-nitrogen (500 mg/L) was treated in an anaerobic (R1)-anoxic (R2)-aerobic (R3) moving bed biofilm reactor system at different hydraulic retention time (HRT) intervals (total HRT 3-8 days, R1: 1.5-4 days; R2: 0.75-2 days and R3: 0.75-2 days) and feed thiocyanate (SCN(-)) concentrations (110-600 mg/L) to determine substrate removal kinetics. In R1, phenol and COD reduction and specific methanogenic activity were inhibited due to the increase of SCN(-) in feed. Bhatia et al. model having inbuilt provision of process inhibition described the kinetics of COD and phenol utilization with maximum utilization rates of 0.398 day(-1) and 0.486 day(-1). respectively. In R2 and R3 modified Stover-Kincannon model was suitable to describe substrate utilization. In R2 respective maximum SCN(-), phenol, COD and NO(3)(-)-N utilization rates were 0.23, 5.28, 37.7 and 11.82 g/L day, respectively. In aerobic reactor R3, COD, SCN(-) and NH(4)(+)-N removal rates were. respectively, 10.53, 1.89, and 2.17 g/L day. The minimum total HRT of three-stage system was recommended as 4 days. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.