Enhancement of aerobic biodegradation in an oxygen-limiting environment using a saponin-based microbubble suspension

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2009-08, Vol.157 (8), p.2197-2202
• Main Authors: Choi, Yong Ju, Kim, Young-Jin, Nam, Kyoungphile
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerobic biodegradation; aerobic conditions; Aerobiosis; Applied sciences; Bioaugmentation; biodegradation; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Burkholderia cepacia; Burkholderia cepacia - growth & development; Burkholderia cepacia - metabolism; Decontamination. Miscellaneous; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment and pollution; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Environmental Pollutants - metabolism; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Microbubble suspension; Microbubbles - microbiology; Oxygen - analysis; Oxygen - metabolism; Oxygen-deficient; phenanthrene; Phenanthrenes - analysis; Phenanthrenes - metabolism; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Saponin; saponins; Saponins - metabolism; Soil and sediments pollution
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2009.04.014

This study investigated the ability of a saponin-based microbubble suspension to enhance aerobic biodegradation of phenanthrene by subsurface delivery. As the microbubble suspension flowed through a sand column pressure buildup and release was repeatedly observed, which delivered oxygen to the less permeable regions. Burkholderia cepacia RPH1, a phenanthrene-degrading bacterium, was mainly transported in a suspended form in the microbubble suspension. When three pore volumes of the microbubble suspension containing B. cepacia RPH1 was introduced into a column contaminated with phenanthrene (100 mg/kg), the oxygen content declined to 5% from an initial value of 20% within 5 days and correspondingly, 34.4% of initial phenanthrene was removed in 8 days. The addition of two further three pore volumes enhanced the biodegradation efficiency by a factor of 2.2. Our data suggest that a saponin-based microbubble suspension could be a potential carrier for enhancing the aerobic biodegradation under an oxygen-limiting environment. Microbubble suspension can enhance the phenanthrene biodegradation under an oxygen-limiting condition.