Development of a differential volume reactor system for soil biodegradation studies

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Microbiology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Manufactured gas plant (MGP) soils are often contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
• Bioremediation using mixed microbial cultures offers a sustainable approach for PAH degradation.
• Effective evaluation of microbial performance requires standardized experimental systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and describe a bench-scale experimental system for analyzing PAH degradation.
• To establish a fundamental protocol for evaluating mixed microbial cultures in contaminated soils.
• To elucidate key system variables and their interactions affecting PAH biodegradation.

Main Methods:

• A plug flow differential volume reactor (DVR) was designed and implemented.
• The reactor system was chosen for its suitability for mathematical representation.
• On-line methods were developed for quantitative determination of liquid-phase PAH concentrations.

Main Results:

• The experimental system effectively analyzed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) degradation.
• Mathematical models were developed and validated with experimental data.
• Biodegradation of naphthalene was studied on both artificial and MGP soils.

Conclusions:

• The developed bench-scale system provides a robust protocol for assessing microbial PAH degradation.
• The plug flow DVR design minimizes reactor-type effects, focusing on system structure.
• This research contributes to understanding and optimizing bioremediation of PAH-contaminated sites.