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Activated sludge acclimation for toluene and DEHP degradation in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor

Biodegradation of volatile organic compounds by activated sludge

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Abstract

The effect of activated sludge acclimation on the biodegradation of toluene in the presence of a biodegradable non-aqueous phase liquid, di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor was characterized. The influence of the presence of DEHP, at a ratio of 0.1 % (volume ratio), and of the acclimation of activated sludge (AS) on the biodegradation of hydrophobic VOC was studied. AS was acclimated to both toluene and DEHP simultaneously. Using acclimated cells, 73 and 96 % improvement of the mean biodegradation rates was recorded for toluene and the organic solvent (DEHP), respectively, if compared to the values recorded in the absence of acclimation, during tests performed in Erlenmeyer flasks. Degradation rates were further improved by the use of acclimated AS in a reactor with a large head space; degradation yields for toluene and DEHP were above 99 and 89 %, respectively.

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Acknowledgments

The technical support of this research was provided by the National School of Chemistry of Rennes. Appreciation is extended to Mrs Marguerite Lemasle, for her help during the analysis of samples by GC/MS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Equipe CIP, UMR CNRS 6226 ISCR, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de chimie de Rennes, 11 allée de Beaulieu, CS 50837, 35708, Rennes Cedex 7, France

    I. Béchohra, J. B. Le Menn, A. Couvert & A. Amrane

  2. Université Européenne de Bretagne, 5 Boulevard Laennec, Rennes, France

    I. Béchohra, J. B. Le Menn, A. Couvert & A. Amrane

  3. CNRS, UMR 6226, Université de Rennes 1, 3 rue du Clos-Courtel, BP 90433, 35704, Rennes Cedex 7, France

    A. Amrane

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  1. I. Béchohra
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  2. J. B. Le Menn
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  3. A. Couvert
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  4. A. Amrane
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Correspondence to I. Béchohra.

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Béchohra, I., Le Menn, J.B., Couvert, A. et al. Activated sludge acclimation for toluene and DEHP degradation in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 13, 1883–1890 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-016-1019-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-016-1019-y

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