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Removal of organic compounds by a biofilm supported on GAC: modelling of batch and column data

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Abstract

The performance of a biofilm of Arthrobacter viscosus supported on granular activated carbon on the retention of organic compounds was evaluated. The presence of functional groups on the cell wall surface of the biomass that may interact with the organic compounds was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, to assess the applicability of this system to the removal of those compounds. The batch assays showed that the removal percentage decreases with the increasing initial concentration. The removal of phenol ranged from 99.5 to 93.4%, the chlorophenol removal ranged from 99.3 to 61.6% and the o-cresol removal ranged from 98.7 to 73.5%, for initial concentrations between 100 and 1,700 mg/L. The batch data were described by Freundlich, Langmuir, Redlich–Peterson, Dubinin-Radushkevich, Sips and Toth model isotherms and the best fit for the retention of phenol and for the retention of o-cresol was obtained with the Sips model, while for chlorophenol, the best fit was obtained with the Freundlich model. The column tests showed that the retention performance followed the order: phenol > chlorophenol > o-cresol, and increased with the increasing initial organic compound concentration. Data from column runs were described by Adams–Bohart, Wolborska and Yoon and Nelson models with good fitting for all the models.

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Abbreviations

Qe (mg/g):

Ratio between mass of compound sorbed by the biofilm and the mass of GAC, at the equilibrium

Qmax (mg/g):

Maximum mass of compound sorbed per mass of GAC

Ce (mg/L):

Concentration of compound in solution at equilibrium

b (L/mg):

Langmuir adsorption equilibrium constant

K f :

Capacity of adsorption

n :

Intensity of adsorption

KR (L/g), aR (L/mg) and β:

Redlich–Peterson constants. β varies between 0 and 1

KS (Lbsmg1−bs/g), aS (L/mg)bs and bS:

Sips isotherm parameters

Kt (mg/g), at and t:

Toth isotherm constants

B D :

Related to the mean free energy of sorption per gram of the sorbate as it is transferred to the surface of the solid from infinite distance in the solution

T :

Temperature (K)

R :

Universal gas constant

k AB :

Kinetic constant (L/(mg·min) for the Adams–Bohart model

N 0 :

Saturation concentration (mg/L) for the Adams–Bohart model

C 0 :

Inlet compound concentration (mg/L)

C :

Effluent compound concentrations (mg/L)

C s :

Compound concentration at the solid/liquid interface (mg/L)

D :

Axial diffusion coefficient (cm2/min)

ν :

Is the migration rate (cm/min)

βa :

Kinetic coefficient of the external mass transfer (min−1)

β0 :

External mass transfer coefficient with a negligible axial dispersion coefficient D

k YN :

Rate constant (min−1)

τ:

Time required for 50% adsorbate breakthrough (min)

T :

Breakthrough time (min)

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT-Portugal), under programme POCTI/FEDER (POCTI/CTA/44449/2002). Cristina Quintelas gratefully acknowledges the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT-Portugal) for a Post-Doc grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IBB-Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal

    Cristina Quintelas, Bruna Silva, Hugo Figueiredo & Teresa Tavares

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  1. Cristina Quintelas
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  2. Bruna Silva
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  3. Hugo Figueiredo
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  4. Teresa Tavares
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Correspondence to Cristina Quintelas.

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Quintelas, C., Silva, B., Figueiredo, H. et al. Removal of organic compounds by a biofilm supported on GAC: modelling of batch and column data. Biodegradation 21, 379–392 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-009-9308-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-009-9308-5

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