The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Use of recirculation reactor to study biodegradation of 2-chlorophenol
Author:	Yang, Kai-Chung
View Online:	njit-etd1988-022 (vii, 57 pages ~ 2.3 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Environmental Science
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Chemical Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Sofer, Samir S. (Committee chair) Armenante, Piero M. (Committee member) Kebbekus, Barbara B. (Committee member)
Date:	1988
Keywords:	Chlorophenols--Biodegradation. Oxidation. Sewage--Purification--Biological treatment.
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	The performance of immobilized cells in the treatment of hazardous waste was investigated using a recirculation flow reactor run in a batch mode. A mixed microbial population from a municipal wastewater treatment plant was immobilized in calcium alginate gel. The bio-oxidation ability of these microbes towards a model toxin (2-chlorophenol) was studied. The process parameters studied were as follows: Flow rate of the recycle stream; Biomass loading; Spiking concentration of 2-chlorophenol; Use of buffered vs. non-buffered defined medium. Dissolved oxygen concentration was monitored using a flow Clark-type dissolved oxygen probe. Oxygen consumption was correlated with the biodegradation of 2-chlorophenol. Physical removal of 2-chlorophenol by air stripping in the absence of microorganisms was also determined and the removal rate compared with the biodegradation rate obtained. It was found that biodegradation was the primary removal mechanism.