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Development and mathematical modeling of a two-stage reactor system for trichloroethylene degradation using Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b

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Abstract

A two-stage reactor system was developed for the continuous degradation of gas-phase trichloroethylene (TCE). Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b was immobilized on activated carbon in a TCE degradation reactor, trickling biofilter (TBF). The TBF was coupled with a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) to allow recirculation of microbial cells from/to the TBF for the reactivation of inactivated cells during TCE degradation. The mass transfer aspect of the TBF was analyzed, and mass transfer coefficient of 3.9 h−1 was estimated. The loss of soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) activity was modeled based on a material balance on the CSTR and TBF, and transformation capacity (T c) was determined to be 20.2  \(\mu\)mol mg−1. Maximum TCE degradation rate of 525 mg 1−1 d−1 was obtained and reactor has been stably operated for more than 270 days.

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Abbreviations

a :

activity of sMMO (TCE per cell and time, nmol mg−1 min−1)

A :

cross-sectional area of TBF (cm2)

a max :

maximum activity of sMMO (nmol min−1 mg−1)

B :

bleed rate (ml min−1)

C g :

outlet TCE concentration in gas phase of TBF (mol l−1)

C g0 :

inlet TCE concentration in gas phase of TBF (mol l−1)

C l :

TCE concentration in liquid phase of TBF (mol l−1)

C*l :

TCE concentration in interface of liquid phase of TBF (mol l−1)

C s :

TCE concentration in activated carbon support of TBF (mol l−1)

C b :

TCE concentration in biofilm of TBF (mol l−1)

C x :

TCE concentration in liquid phase of TBF (mol l−1)

ΔC g :

C g0 − C g (mol l−1)

F g :

gas flow rate of TBF (ml min−1)

F l :

liquid flow rate to TBF (ml min−1)

F′l :

F l − B (ml min−1)

h :

height of TBF (cm)

H :

Henry’s constant (atm l mg−1)

k l a :

gas/liquid mass-transfer coefficient (h−1)

R :

ideal gas constant (atm l mol−1 K−1)

P g :

partial pressure of gas (atm)

r :

rate of TCE degradation (mg l−1 d−1)

S :

growth substrate concentration in CSTR (mol l−1)

S 0 :

growth substrate concentration of inflow to CSTR (mol l−1)

S′:

growth substrate concentration of outflow from TBF (mol l−1)

ΔS :

S 0 − S (mol l−1)

t :

time (h)

T :

kelvin temperature (K)

T c :

transformation capacity ( \(\mu\)mol mg−1)

V 1 :

CSTR working volume (l)

X d :

dead cell concentration in CSTR (mg ml−1)

X′d :

dead cell concentration of outflow from TBF (mg ml−1)

X max :

maximum cell concentration (mg ml−1)

X v :

viable cell concentration in CSTR (mg ml−1)

X′v :

viable cell concentration of outflow from TBF (mg ml−1)

X t :

total cell concentration (mg ml−1)

Y :

yield coefficient (cell per substrate, mg mg−1)

Greek symbols::

 

α1 :

F′l/F l (dimensionless)

α2 :

B/F l (dimensionless)

α3 :

V 1/F l (min)

α4 :

F g/F l (dimensionless)

ɛb :

fraction of biofilm (dimensionless)

ɛg :

fraction of gas phase (dimensionless)

ɛs :

fraction of activated carbon support (dimensionless)

ɛx :

fraction of liquid phase (dimensionless)

μ:

specific grow rate in CSTR (h−1)

μmax :

maximum specific grow rate in CSTR (h−1)

φ:

viable cell fraction in CSTR (dimensionless)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea

    Jae Woong Hwang & Cha Yong Choi

  2. Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735, Korea

    Young Bum Choi & Sunghoon Park

  3. Department of Food Science and Technology, Kyungsung University, Busan, 608-736, Korea

    Eun Yeol Lee

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  1. Jae Woong Hwang
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  2. Young Bum Choi
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  4. Cha Yong Choi
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  5. Eun Yeol Lee
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Correspondence to Eun Yeol Lee.

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Hwang, J.W., Choi, Y.B., Park, S. et al. Development and mathematical modeling of a two-stage reactor system for trichloroethylene degradation using Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b. Biodegradation 18, 91–101 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-006-9040-3

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