Open AccessBioremediation of wastewater containing RDX
Author(s) -
Kimberly L. Ogden
Publication year - 1994
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/369676
Subject(s) - biodegradation , degradation (telecommunications) , suspension (topology) , reaction rate constant , bioremediation , substrate (aquarium) , wastewater , explosive material , materials science , chemical engineering , chemistry , environmental chemistry , bacteria , environmental science , kinetics , environmental engineering , organic chemistry , ecology , biology , physics , telecommunications , mathematics , quantum mechanics , homotopy , computer science , pure mathematics , genetics , engineering
A free suspension model of the biodegradation of RDX by a consortium has been developed as a part of an overall model that will describe the waste treatment for explosives in a continuous process. The free suspension model uses experimentally determined parameters to predict the concentrations of the bacteria cells, the substrate (yeast extract), RDX, and the mononitroso intermediate. The model correctly predicts the experimentally observed trends; however, the values predicted for the cell concentrations are consistently lower than those observed experimentally. This can be resolved by better characterizing the growth parameters of the consortium. The degradation of RDX was found to be first order in RDX concentration and assumed to be first order in cell concentration, X. i.e. d(RDX)/dt = k{sub 1}(X)(RDX) The degradation rate constant, k{sub 1}, was found to be 0.043 L/(g cells hr). Similarly, the degradation rate constant of the mononitroso intermediate was found to be 0.066 L/(g cells hr)