Other than pH and temperature the contaminants present in waste water alters the removal efficiency of phenol. Organic pollutants such as humic acid and fulvic acid are dissolved in water that can compete with phenol for adsorption sites on AgNPs . These relatively large organic compounds from coating on the surface of AgNPs reducing phenolic removal, by blocking the active sites disrupting the catalytic degradation of phenol and its derivatives in water. Some of the organic compounds like dyes, pesticides and pharmaceuticals reacts with phenolic compounds or alters the surface charge of AgNPs which may lead to unpredictable interaction that affects removal efficiency , heavy metals such as Pb 2+ , Ca 2+ and Cd 2+ may catalytically reduce AgNPs, reducing their effectiveness . Chlorides, sulfates and phosphates present in water bodies may react with AgNPs to form insoluble compounds like AgCl and AgSO4, that decreases the available sites and surface area for phenol adsorptions .