LIQUID-PHASE BIOREACTOR FOR DEGRADATION OF TRICHLOROETHYLENE AND BENZENE

THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DESIGN AND OPERATE A LABORATORY-SCALE BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT SYSTEM CAPABLE OF DEGRADING TRICHLOROETHYLENE AND BENZENE, EACH PRESENT AT CONCENTRATIONS AS HIGH AS 50 PPM, TO CONCENTRATIONS OF 4 PPB OR LESS PER CONTAMINANT. THE PROCESS DESIGN WILL ENTAIL THE SIMULTANEOUS OR SUCCESSIVE DEGRADATION OF BOTH CONTAMINANTS BY A SELECTED ORGANISM(S) IN A SINGLE REACTOR CONFIGURATION. THE BIOREACTOR WILL OPERATE UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS USING MICROBIAL CULTURES WITH WELL-DEFINED GROWTH AND DEGRADATION CHARACTERISTICS. TO ACHIEVE THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES, ONE OR MORE ORGANISMS WILL BE IDENTIFIED THAT CAN DEGRADE EITHER OR BOTH TCE AND BENZENE. TOWARD THIS END, THE DEGRADATIVE CAPABILITIES OF ENVIROGEN'S OWN STRAIN OF PSEUDOMONAS CEPACIA (TCE DEGRADER) WILL BE DETERMINED FIRST. THE METABOLIC REQUIREMENTS FOR TCE AND BENZENE CATABOLIC ENZYME PRODUCTION WILL BE DETERMINED IN THE SELECTED CULTURES, AND ANY ADVERSE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MICROBIAL POPULATIONS AND CONTAMINANTS WILL BE ASSESSED. ONCE THESE TASKS ARE COMPLETE, A LABORATORY-SCALE REACTOR SYSTEM FOR THE DEGRADATION OF A MIXED WASTE STREAM CONTAINING TCE AND BENZENE WILL BE DESIGNED, FABRICATED, AND TESTED.