Kinetic Modelling of Phenol Biodegradation by Mixed Microbial Culture in Static Batch Mode

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Kumar, Hemant | Mohanty, Kaustubha

Affiliations: Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati, Assam – 781039, India

Note: [] Corresponding author. E-mail: kmohanty@iitg.ernet.in

Abstract: In the present study, mixed microbial culture isolated from the sludge of effluent treatment plant of a refinery was tested for its phenol biodegradation potential under static batch condition. The result showed that, after acclimatization, the culture could biodegrade upto 750 mg L^{-1} of phenol. 100% phenol degradation was achieved for the various concentrations studied. Kinetic study showed that specific growth rate of microorganisms and specific substrate degradation rate increased up to 300 mg L^{-1} of initial phenol concentration and then started decreasing. The biodegradation kinetics was fitted to different substrate inhibition models by using optimization software tool (solver) in Microsoft office 2007. Among all models, Aiba model (μmax = 0.3187 h^{-1}, K_I = 400, R^2 = 0.915) and Edward Model (μmax = 0.0011 h^{-1}, K_I = 210 mg L^{-1}, R^2 = 0.942) were fitted the best. Growth kinetics was also fitted well to the classical Haldane model. The values of inhibition constant, K_I from Yano model indicated that this culture may well degrade phenol beyond 750 mg L^{-1}.

Keywords: Phenol, mixed culture, batch mode, growth kinetics, inhibition model

Journal: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 19-24, 2012