Title: An aerobic sequencing batch reactor for 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid) biodegradation.

Authors: Weidhaas, Jennifer L; Schroeder, Edward D; Chang, Daniel P Y

Published In Biotechnol Bioeng, (2007 Aug 15)

Abstract: A bench scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was designed and tested for degradation of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) or picric acid-contaminated wastewater or groundwater. Under varying temperatures (25, 15 and 10 degrees C) and influent concentrations (40-200 mg/L TNP) a stable biomass was developed that was consistently capable of degrading the explosive compound to below regulatory drinking water limits (0.057 mg/L). The reactor was initially seeded with a nitroaromatic and nitramine degrading isolate Rhodococcus opacus strain JW01. Kinetic growth modeling was conducted revealing micro(max) values at 25, 15 and 10 degrees C of 0.14, 0.08 and 0.04 d(-1), while the modeled K(s) values were 0.68, 1.11 and 1.24 mg/L, respectively. Overall TNP removal efficiency in the SBR was on average > 99.9% over the 2000 hours of operation. Removal of TNP to below drinking water standards, with low residual dissolved carbon and significant release of nitrogen from the parent compound was accomplished.

PubMed ID: 17286267

MeSH Terms: Aerobiosis/physiology; Biodegradation, Environmental; Bioreactors/microbiology*; Computer Simulation; Industrial Waste/prevention & control*; Models, Biological*; Picrates/metabolism*; Rhodococcus/metabolism*; Water Pollutants, Chemical/metabolism*; Water Purification/methods*