Aerobic Biodegradation of DI-n-Butylphthalate by Pure and Mixed Bacterial Species
Abstract
Di-n-butylphthalate (DBP), an organic ester, is primarily used as a plasticizer during the preparation of explosive mixtures. It is abundantly found in the wastewater generated from DBP production plants and munitions manufacturing facilities and at concentrations high enough to create a serious environmental problem. This compound is also listed as a priority pollutant by the USEPA. In this research, the aerobic biodegradation of DBP was studied using several Pseudomonas species as well as mixed bacterial cultures in a batch reactor under suspended growth conditions. The work presented in this paper is part of a broader investigation on the biodegradability of gun propellant components. Initial screening experiments, performed in shaker flasks at 30 degrees C on a gyratory shaker rotating at 200 rpm, indicated that Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas resinovorans, and Pseudomonas cepacia can all degrade DBP as a sole carbon source. However, Pseudomonas putida exhibited higher degradation rates compared to the other two species. In addition to pure bacterial species, mixed cultures obtained from an activated sludge system were found to degrade DBP in the absence of any external carbon sources. A number of batch degradation experiments were performed using different initial concentrations of DBP in order to study the rates of degradation of the compound by Pseudomonas putida and activated sludge. The temperature was set at 30 degrees C and the pH was maintained at approximately 7 during the course of the experiment. The higher rate of destruction observed during the kinetic studies suggest that biodegradation is a viable option for the treatment of DBP-containing wastewater.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADP017729
Entities
People
- Bruce W. Brodman
- Christos Christodoulatos
- Syamalendu Bhaumik
Organizations
- Stevens Institute of Technology