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Biodegradation of Methyl Orange by alginate-immobilized Aeromonas sp. in a packed bed reactor: external mass transfer modeling

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Abstract

Azo dyes are recalcitrant and xenobiotic nature makes these compounds a challenging task for continuous biodegradation up to satisfactorily levels in large-scale. In the present report, the biodegradation efficiency of alginate immobilized indigenous Aeromonas sp. MNK1 on Methyl Orange (MO) in a packed bed reactor was explored. The experimental results were used to determine the external mass transfer model. Complete MO degradation and COD removal were observed at 0.20 cm bead size and 120 ml/h flow rate at 300 mg/l of initial dye concentration. The degradation of MO decreased with increasing bead sizes and flow rates, which may be attributed to the decrease in surface of the beads and higher flux of MO, respectively. The experimental rate constants (k ps) for various beads sizes and flow rates were calculated and compared with theoretically obtained rate constants using external film diffusion models. From the experimental data, the external mass transfer effect was correlated with a model J D = K Re −(1 − n). The model was tested with K value (5.7) and the Colburn factor correlation model for 0.20, 0.40 and 0.60 bead sizes were J D = 5.7 Re −0.15, J D = 5.7 Re −0.36 and J D = 5.7 Re −0.48, respectively. Based on the results, the Colburn factor correlation models were found to predict the experimental data accurately. The proposed model was constructive to design and direct industrial applications in packed bed reactors within acceptable limits.

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Abbreviations

[COD]i :

Initial COD of dye solution (mg/l)

[COD]o :

Observed COD of dye solution (mg/l) at time t (min)

[MO]I :

Initial dye concentration (mg/l)

[MO]o :

Observed dye concentration (mg/l) at time t (min)

A :

Parameter given by Eq. (22)

a m :

Surface area per unit weight of immobilized particles available for mass transfer (cm2 mg−1)

MOb :

Substrate concentration at the bulk liquid

MOs :

Dye concentration at the surface of the immobilized particle (mg l−1)

D f :

Substrate (chromium) effective diffusivity (cm2 s−1)

dC/dz :

Concentration gradient along the column length (mg l−1 cm−1)

d p :

Particle diameter (cm)

G :

Mass flux of chromium solution (g cm−2 h−1)

H :

Height of the column (cm)

J D :

Colburn factor

K :

Constant

k :

Intrinsic first-order reduction rate constant (ml g−1 h−1)

k m :

External mass transfer coefficient (cm h−1)

k p :

Apparent first-order reaction rate constant (l g−1 h−1)

k s :

Surface first-order reaction rate constant (cm h−1)

N Re :

Reynolds number

Q :

Volumetric flow rate (ml min−1)

R :

Degradation rate (mg g−1 h−1)

r m :

External mass transfer rate (mg g−1 h−1)

MO1 :

Concentration of dye (mg/l) in the reservoir

MO2 :

Concentration (mg/l) at the outlet of the packed bed reactor to be circulated back to the reservoir

MOin :

Inlet MO concentration (mg/l)

MOout :

Column outlet MO concentration (mg/l)

V res :

Volume of the reacting solution in the reservoir (ml)

W :

Amount of immobilized organism used (g)

Ε :

Voidage

ρ p :

Density of the particle (g cm−3)

τ :

Residence time (min) in the reservoir (V res/Q)

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Pioneer Research Centre Program through the national Research Program of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (Grant No. 2008-2000122).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Pioneer Research Center for Controlling of Harmful Algal Bloom, Chosun University, 375 Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 501-759, Republic of Korea

    Mathur Nadarajan Kathiravan, Geun Ho Gim, Gui Hawn Han & Si Wouk Kim

  2. Environmental Materials Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur, 440020, India

    Siluvai Antony Praveen

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  1. Mathur Nadarajan Kathiravan
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Correspondence to Mathur Nadarajan Kathiravan or Si Wouk Kim.

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Kathiravan, M.N., Praveen, S.A., Gim, G.H. et al. Biodegradation of Methyl Orange by alginate-immobilized Aeromonas sp. in a packed bed reactor: external mass transfer modeling. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 37, 2149–2162 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-014-1192-7

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