Simultaneous removal of hydrogen sulfide and toluene in a bioreactor:Performance and characteristics of microbial community
Min Gao , Lin Li , Junxin Liu
DOI:
Received April 07, 2010,Revised May 26, 2010, Accepted , Available online
Volume 23,2011,Pages 353-359
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We investigated the correlation between performance and the bacteria community composition by H2S and toluene co-treatment.
Operation of the bioreactor was divided into four stages, in which the inlet concentration of toluene and H2S were gradually increased.
In Stage I, toluene was the sole target compound with an average removal e ciency of 86.49%. After adding H2S in Stage II, removal
e ciency of toluene decreased immediately and recovered gradually to 85.96%. When the inlet concentration of toluene and H2S
was increased in Stage III and Stage IV, respectively, the average removal e ciency for toluene increased continuously from 86.31%
to 87.24%. The elimination capacities of toluene increased with increasing inlet loading rates of toluene and H2S. Results of the
PCR-DGGE analysis showed a turnover growth and decline of the microbial populations in the bioreactor. In Stage I, the dominant
toluene-degrading bacteria mainly contained Pseudomonas sp. strain PS+ and Hydrogenophaga sp. In Stage IV, however, the dominant
toluene-degrading bacteria was aciduric bacteria (Clostridium populeti). The dominant microbial community in the bioreactor enhanced
the elimination capacity of toluene, and adding H2S changed the environment of microbial growth, thus resulted in an evolution of
dominant microorganisms. Analyses of microbial community and their activities provides valuable information to e ciently enhance
simultaneous removal of toluene and H2S in the bioreactor.
