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Kinetics of aerobic biodegradation of benzene and toluene in sandy aquifer material

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Abstract

Monod's equation adequately described aerobic biodegradation rates of benzene and toluene by the microbial population of a sandy aquifer when these compounds were initially present at concentrations lower than 100 mg/l each. Concentrations higher than 100 mg/l were inhibitory, and no benzene or toluene degradation was observed when these compounds were initially present at 250 mg/l each. The Monod coefficients were calculated as k = 8.3 g-benzene/g-cells/day and Ks = 12.2 mg/l for benzene, and k = 9.9 g-toluene/g-cells/day and Ks = 17.4 mg/l for toluene. Specific first-order coefficients would be 0.68 l/mg.day for benzene and 0.57 l.mg.day for toluene.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Michigan, 48109-2125, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Paul J. Anid & Timothy M. Vogel

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  1. Pedro J. J. Alvarez
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  2. Paul J. Anid
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  3. Timothy M. Vogel
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Alvarez, P.J.J., Anid, P.J. & Vogel, T.M. Kinetics of aerobic biodegradation of benzene and toluene in sandy aquifer material. Biodegradation 2, 43–51 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00122424

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00122424

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