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Benzene Transformation in Nitrifying Batch Cultures
Author(s) -
Zepeda A.,
Texier A.C.,
Gomez J.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
biotechnology progress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6033
pISSN - 8756-7938
DOI - 10.1021/bp0201408
Subject(s) - benzene , catechol , chemistry , phenol , nitrification , nuclear chemistry , nitrate , denitrification , nitrogen , environmental chemistry , medicinal chemistry , organic chemistry
Abstract The effect of benzene on the nitrifying activity of a sludge produced in steady‐state nitrification was evaluated in batch cultures. Benzene at 10 mg/L inhibited nitrate formation by 53%, whereas at 5 mg/L there was no inhibition. For initial benzene concentrations of 0, 7, and 10 mg/L, the specific rates of NO 3 ‐ ‐N production were 0.545 ± 0.101, 0.306 ± 0.024, and 0.141 ± 0.010 g NO 3 ‐ ‐N/g microbial protein‐N·h, respectively. The specific rates of benzene consumption at 7, 12, and 20 mg/L were 0.034 ± 0.003, 0.050 ± 0.006, and 0.027 ± 0.002 g/g microbial protein‐N·h, respectively. Up to a concentration of 10 mg/L, benzene was first oxidized to phenol, which was later totally oxidized to acetate. Benzene at higher concentrations (20 and 30 mg/L) was converted to intermediates other than acetate, phenol, or catechol. These results suggest that this type of nitrifying consortium coupled with a denitrification system may have promising applications for complete removal of nitrogen and benzene from wastewaters.