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Experimental Study of Biodegradation of Ethanol and Toluene Vapors

Experimental Study of Biodegradation of Ethanol and Toluene Vapors

Experimental Study of Biodegradation of Ethanol and Toluene Vapors

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In this study, a metabolic model has been developed to simulate ethanol <strong>and</strong><br />

benzyl alcohol bioremediation. The development <strong>of</strong> the stoichiometric coefficients for<br />

the reactions was based on the fundamental biochemical principles <strong>and</strong> mass balances,<br />

which allow the resulting model to be applicable to a wide range <strong>of</strong> operating<br />

conditions. From the comparison <strong>of</strong> the simulated results <strong>and</strong> the experimental data, the<br />

models <strong>of</strong> ethanol <strong>and</strong> benzyl alcohol bioremediation were found to predict both batch<br />

<strong>and</strong> continuous bioremediation with 95% confidence level. The results also show that<br />

the biomass maintenance term varies with the operating conditions, i.e. for same<br />

substrate, biomass maintenance needs are less for continuous steady state conditions<br />

than that for batch conditions. This is likely due to the transient nutrient <strong>and</strong><br />

environmental (pH) conditions during the batch reactions. For continuous steady state<br />

operations, the more readily degradable substrate, ethanol, requires less maintenance for<br />

biomass growth than when ethanol is bioremediated in the presence <strong>of</strong> toluene. The<br />

presence <strong>of</strong> toluene in the mixture requires more ethanol for biomass maintenance.<br />

Additional consumption <strong>of</strong> ethanol for maintenance purposes was observed (0.027<br />

compared to 0.010 C-mol/C-mol.h) when the toluene substrate concentration is high in<br />

the media.<br />

5.5 Theoretical Prediction <strong>of</strong> Batch Growth<br />

5.5.1 Batch Growth on <strong>Ethanol</strong><br />

As mentioned earlier (see Equation 5-34), the Monod equation has been used by<br />

many researchers to empirically fit a wide range <strong>of</strong> microbial growth data. It is the<br />

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