Performance characterization of a model bioreactor for the biodegradation of trichloroethylene by 'pseudomonas cepacia' g4

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5605232

Folsom, B R; Chapman, P J

Of the volatile organic chemicals present in common groundwater contaminants, trichloroethylene (TCE) is the one most commonly found. TCE has been shown to be biodegraded by axenic cultures of aerobic organisms. Pseudomonas cepacia G4 grown in chemostats with phenol demonstrated constant specific degradation rates for both phenol and trichloroethylene (TCE) over a range of dilution rates. Washout of cells from chemostats was evident at a dilution rate of 0.2/h at 28C. Increased phenol concentrations in the nutrient feed led to increased biomass production with constant specific degradation rates for both phenol and TCE. The addition of lactate to the phenol feed led to increased biomass production but lowered specific phenol and TCE degradation rates. The maximum potential for TCE degradation was about 1.1 g per day per g of cell protein. Cell growth and degradation kinetic parameters were used in the design of a recirculating bioreactor for TCE degradation. In the reactor, the total amount of TCE degraded increased as either reaction time or biomass was increased. TCE degradation was observed up to 300 microM TCE with no significant decreases in rates. On the average, the reactor was able to degrade 0.7 g of TCE per day per g of cell protein. The results demonstrate the feasibility of TCE bioremediation through the use of bioreactors. (Copyright (c) 1991, American Society for Microbiology.)

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL (United States). Environmental Research Lab.
• OSTI ID: 5605232
• Report Number(s): PB-92-129717/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AROMATICS
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
BIOREACTORS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CONTAMINATION
DECOMPOSITION
ENZYMES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GROUND WATER
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOL
PHENOLS
POLLUTION
PROTEINS
PSEUDOMONAS
REMEDIAL ACTION
WATER
WATER POLLUTION