Biodegradation of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon mixtures in a single-pass packed-bed reactor

Journal Article · · Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02919029· OSTI ID:6487454

Lackey, L W; Bienkowski, P R ^[1]; Phelps, T J; White, D C ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
2. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States) Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

Aliphatic chlorinated compounds, such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE), are major contaminants of ground water. A single-pass packed-bed bioreactor was utilized to study the biodegradation of organic waste mixtures consisting of PCE, TCE, and other short-chain chlorinated organics. The bioreactor consisted of two 1960-mL glass columns joined in a series. One column was packed with sand containing a microbial consortia enriched from a contaminated site. The other column provided a reservoir for oxygen and a carbon source of methane/propane that was recirculated through the reactor. Sampling was accomplished by both direct headspace and liquid effluent concentration analyses. The reactor was operated in a single-pass mode. Greater than 99% degradation of trichloroethylene, approaching drinking water standards, was observed when the bioreactor residence time ranged from 1.9 to 3.2 d. Typically, when the reactor was pulse-fed with methane, propane, and air, 1 mol of TCE was degraded/110 mol of substrate utilized. Perturbation studies were performed to characterize reactor behavior. The system's degradation behavior was affected by providing different carbon sources, a pulse feeding regime, supplementing microbial biomass, and by altering flow rates. 28 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6487454
• Journal Information: Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology; (United States), Journal Name: Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology; (United States) Vol. 39-40; ISSN ABIBDL; ISSN 0273-2289
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
BIODEGRADATION
BIOREACTORS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
DECOMPOSITION
DESIGN
GROUND WATER
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
POLLUTION
TESTING
WATER