Enhancement of Microbial Growth Rate by Iron-catalyzed Pretneatment

Lee, Sang Ho

Environmental Engineering Research 1998;3(2): 87-95.

Sang Ho Lee^†

Department of Environmental Engineering Sangmyung University

Corresponding Author: Sang Ho Lee ,

Received: February 20, 1998; Accepted: April 20, 1998.

ABSTRACT

A selected microbial consortium (SMC), using pentachlorophenol (PCP) as a sole carbon source was developed. For systems of non-pretreated and chemically pretreated PCP, the resulting growth rates were determined and compared. Pretreatment was accomplished using Fenton's reagent Growth rate kinetics were described by the Haldane ModeL Haldane constants were used as the basis of comparison. Results indicate that chemical pretreatment effects a significant decrease in toxicity when compared with non-pretreated system. For the prerteated systems, the values of μ^* and S^* were 0.113 day^-1 and 29 mg/L, respectively, whereas μ^* and S^* values for the nonpretreated system were 0.050 day^-1 and 22.2 mg/L, respectively. Possible mechanisms for these results are explained using cometabolism and reduced concentration of toxic PCP.

Keywords: Pentachlorophenol | Chemical pretreatment. Selected Microbial Consortium | Haldane inhibition | Growth rate enhancement | Cometabolism