Kinetics of biotransformation of 2,4-dichlorophenol using UASB-reactor

Chlorophenol compounds are environmental pollutants that are both anthropogenic and xenobiotics. Some of these chemicals are carcinogens and are both toxic to a number biochemical processes. Biotransformation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) was studied in the presence of glucose on an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) using mixed culture. A continuously operated UASB reactor was employed using mixed synthetic wastewater. Results obtained from the 1.8 L volume capacity UASB reactor were subjected to kinetic evaluation constants. Results indicate that the degradation of 2,4-DCP in the presence of glucose was strongly influenced by the concentration of the compound. High degradation levels were observed when the concentration of 2,4-DCP was in the range of 50-150 mg L-1. Concentrations of 2,4-DCP above 160 mg L-1 were toxic to microbes even in the presence of glucose. The maximum degradation of 2,4-DCP was found to be 70.4% when initial concentration of 2,4-DCP was 124 mg L-1 and glucose concentration of 500 mg L-1 at hydraulic retention time of 13.2 hr. The biodegradation followed first order reaction kinetics with a rate constant (K) of 0.67, V-max of 0.244 kg m(-3) day(-1), K-s of 0.117 kg m(-3) day(-1) and correlation coefficient of 0.766.