Biodegradation of methyl tert-butyl ether as a sole carbon source by aerobic granules cultivated in a sequencing batch reactor

• Published in: Bioprocess and biosystems engineering 2008-10, Vol.31 (6), p.527-534
• Main Authors: Zhang, Li-Li, Zhu, R. Y., Chen, J. M., Cai, W. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacteria - metabolism; Batch reactors; Biodegradation; Biodegradation, Environmental; Bioengineering; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Carbon - chemistry; Carbon sources; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; DNA - analysis; DNA - chemistry; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Equipment Design; Fermentation; Food Science; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial and Production Engineering; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Kinetics; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Methyl Ethers - chemistry; Microbiology; Microorganisms; MTBE; Original Paper; Reactors; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - chemistry; Time Factors; Various methods and equipments
• ISSN: 1615-7591; 1615-7605
• DOI: 10.1007/s00449-007-0193-1

Aerobic granules efficient at degrading methyl tert -butyl ether (MTBE) were successfully developed in a well-mixed sequencing batch reactor (SBR). Treatment efficiency of MTBE in the reactor during the stable operations exceeded 99.8%, and effluent MTBE was consistently below 800 μg/L. The specific MTBE degradation rate was observed to increase with increasing MTBE initial concentrations from 25 to 400 mg/L, peaked at 18.2 mg-MTBE/g-VSS h, and declined with further increases in MTBE concentration as substrate inhibition effects became significant. There was a good fit between these biodegradation data and the Haldane equation ( R 2  = 0.976). Microbial community DNA profiling was carried out using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of polymerase chain reaction amplified 16S rDNA. The aerobic granule was found to contain a wide diversity of microorganisms. More than 70% similarity among the samples in the time period examined indicated a highly stable microbial community as the reactor reached the stable operation.