Rate limiting factors in trichloroethylene co-metabolic degradation by phenol-grown aerobic granules

The potential of aerobic granular sludge in co-metabolic removal of recalcitrant substances was evaluated using trichloroethylene (TCE) as the model compound. Aerobic granules cultivated in a sequencing batch reactor with phenol as the growth substrate exhibited TCE and phenol degradation activities lower than previously reported values. Depletion of reducing energy and diffusion limitation within the granules were investigated as the possible rate limiting factors. Sodium formate and citrate were supplied to the granules in batch studies as external electron sources. No significant enhancing effect was observed on the instant TCE transformation rates, but 10 mM formate could improve the ultimate transformation capacity by 26 %. Possible diffusion barrier was studied by sieving the biomass into five size fractions, and determining their specific TCE and phenol degradation rates and capacities. Biomass in the larger size fractions generally showed lower activities. Large granules of >700 μm diameter exhibited only 22 % of the flocs' TCE transformation capacity and 35 % of its phenol dependent SOUR, indicating the possible occurrence of diffusion limitation in larger biomass. However, the highest specific TCE transformation rate was observed with the fraction that mostly consisted of small granules (150-300 μm), suggesting an optimal size range while applying aerobic granules in TCE co-metabolic removal.