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DETERMINATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANAEROBIC BIODEGRADATION OF PAHs AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE FORM OF A BIOWALL

URIBE-JONGBLOED, ALBERTO
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1147969760

Abstract Details

2006, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Engineering : Environmental Engineering.
The effectiveness of anaerobic biodegradation of PAHs was studied alongside its potential use by means of an anaerobic biowall. Four different PAHs were utilized in this work: the two ring naphthalene; a three ring, phenanthrene; a four ring, pyrene; and a five ring, benzo[a]pyrene. The PAHs were tested individually and mixed together to address the potential effects of PAH mixtures. Nitrates and sulfates were tested as the potential electron acceptors for all the mentioned PAHs, under stagnant (no mixing) as well as high shear (mixing) hydrodynamic conditions. Analyses of the results indicate that most of the removal obtained for all PAHs could be explained by strong adsorption onto the organic matter associated with the biomass. The lower molecular weight PAHs, in particular naphthalene, showed additional removal, tied to biological activity; however, the PAH was not the main substrate and did not contribute to biological growth. All systems showed to have fallen under endogenous decay phases. The heavier compounds did not show any particular differential removal efficiency. The rates of removal were higher when the systems were under complete mixing than when under stagnation; denitrification occurred twice as fast as sulfate reduction in the mixed case, while sulfate reduction did not start under stagnant conditions. The addition of a readily biodegradable compound, like benzoate, reactivated the systems in all cases; special interest had the sulfate reducing system under stagnant conditions, in which the addition appears to have triggered the consumption of naphthalene. The rates of consumption of benzoate and electron acceptor were much higher in the case of complete mixing than in stagnant conditions. The addition of benzoate does not appear to have enhanced the removal of any of the PAHs tested. The fact that no biofilm was ever found to be formed, coupled with indication that the heavier molecular weight PAHs appear not to be degraded implied that the initial idea of a biowall might not be entirely feasible. It is suggested that further investigation, this time in the form of a bioaugmentation procedure, might prove to be a more effective way of treatment.
Dr. Paul Bishop (Advisor)
189 p.
Engineering, Environmental
Anaerobic Biodegradation; PAH; Denitrification; Sulfate Reduction

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Citations

  • URIBE-JONGBLOED, A. (2006). DETERMINATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANAEROBIC BIODEGRADATION OF PAHs AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE FORM OF A BIOWALL [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1147969760

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • URIBE-JONGBLOED, ALBERTO. DETERMINATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANAEROBIC BIODEGRADATION OF PAHs AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE FORM OF A BIOWALL. 2006. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1147969760.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • URIBE-JONGBLOED, ALBERTO. "DETERMINATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANAEROBIC BIODEGRADATION OF PAHs AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE FORM OF A BIOWALL." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1147969760

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2006, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.