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

Title:	Microbial competition in the biodegradation of phenol
Author:	Frank, Mary Ellen
View Online:	njit-etd1989-039 (ix, 95 pages ~ 1.8 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Environmental Science
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Environmental Science
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Lewandowski, Gordon (Committee chair) Baltzis, Basil (Committee member) Armenante, Piero M. (Committee member)
Date:	1989-05
Keywords:	Phenols -- Biodegradation Sewage -- Purification -- Biological treatment
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	Three phenol degraders were isolated from the mixed liquor of the Livingston, NJ municipal treatment plant. Shaker flask experiments using one of the degraders (a Pseudomonas sp.) resulted in the determination of its kinetic rate constants. The second phenol degrader (a Xanthamonas) lost its phenol degrading ability while being stored, and its kinetic rate constants could not be determined. The third phenol degrader (a Pseudomonas cepacia) formed flocs which interfered with the spectrophotometric determination of biomass and therefore its kinetic rate constants also could not be determined. Mixed culture experiments were carried out using a the Pseudomonas sp. and a Pseudomonas putida which had been purchased from ATCC (# 31800). The kinetic rate constants for the P. putida had been previously determined in this laboratory. Computer modeling is presently being conducted to predict the kinetic behavior of the mixed culture, and compare the results to the experimental rates of phenol degradation.