Abstract
A bench scale experimental system was developed for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) degradation by mixed microbial cultures in PAH contaminated Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) soils and on sand. The reactor system was chosen in order to provide a fundamental protocol capable for evaluating the performance of specific mixed microbial cultures on specific soil systems by elucidating the important system variables and their interactions. The reactor design and peripherals are described. A plug flow differential volume reactor (DVR) was used in order to remove performance effects related to reactor type, as opposed to system structure. This reactor system could be well represented mathematically. Methods were developed for on-line quantitative determination of PAH liquid phase concentrations. The mathematical models and experimental data are presented for the biodegradation of naphthalene on artificial and MGP soils.
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Abbreviations
- Ac :
-
Cross sectional area of reactor m2
- Cnaphthalene c :
-
Feed concentration of naphthalene moles/m3
- De:
-
Dispersion Coefficient cm2/s
- Fnaphthalene :
-
Molar flow rate of naphthalene moles/h
- k:
-
reaction rate constant h-1
- U:
-
Velocity meters/h
- V:
-
Volume of reactor m3
- X:
-
Conversion dimensionless
- z:
-
Reactor length m
- E(θ):
-
Dimensionless Residence Time Distribution
- θ:
-
Dimensionless Time
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Webb, O.F., Phelps, T.J., Blenkowski, P.R. et al. Development of a differential volume reactor system for soil biodegradation studies. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 28, 5–19 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02922585
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02922585