As　a　highly　toxic　pollutant,　phenol　is　typically　present　in　some　high-strength　nitrogenous　wastewater.　In　this　study,　a　synthetic　coking　wastewater　with　400　mg　L-1　ammonia-nitrogen　and　50-250　mg　L-1　phenol　was　treated.　Results　showed　that　simultaneous　carbon　oxidation,　partial　nitritation,　denitritation　and　anammox　(SCONDA)　was　successfully　achieved　by　step-wise　phenol　addition.　At　200　mg　L-1　phenol,　99.8%　phenol,　97.5%　COD　and　89.8%　nitrogen　could　be　together　removed.　However,　further　increase　in　phenol　concentration　caused　significant　deterioration　of　the　short-terms　nitrogen　removal　efficiency.　High-throughput　sequencing　revealed　remarkable　evolution　in　microbial　biodiversity,　community　composition,　especially　functional　species　at　different　phenol　concentrations.　When　the　phenol　addition　was　increased　from　200　to　250　mg　L-1,　the　relative　abundance　of　Candidates　Kuenenia　as　predominant　anammox　species　decreased　by　87.1%,　while　phenol-degrading　bacteria　was　increasingly　abundant.　Furthermore,　the　removal　mechanism　of　phenol　and　nitrogen　was　elucidated　by　the　collaboration　among　different　key　functional　microbial　consortia.　(C)　2019　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.