Biphenyl degradation kinetics by Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 in two-phase partitioning bioreactors

Biphenyl could be successfully degraded by Burkholderia xenovorans LB400, initially described as Pseudomonas sp. LB400, in two-phase partitioning bioreactors (TPPBs). TPPBs are comprised of an aqueous, cell containing phase, and an immiscible, biocompatible organic phase that partitions toxic and/or poorly soluble substrates (in this case biphenyl) based on maintaining a thermodynamic equilibrium. The critical Log KO/W of the organism was found to be approximately 5.5, indicating that solvents with a Log KO/W larger than 5.5 are suitable as delivery phases for B. xenovorans LB400. Two solvents selected for the TPPB system were octadecene and bis(2-ethylhexyl)sebacate (BES). In one experiment a total of 6.6 g biphenyl per l aqueous-phase-equivalent (biphenyl delivered in solvent, at an aqueous phase to solvent ratio of 10) could be degraded in 25 h during batch operation with octadecene. The specific growth rate and the half saturation constant of the Monod model were estimated to be μmax = 0.25 h−1 and KS = 0.0001 g l−1, and the yield coefficient was YX/S = 0.48 g biomass per g biphenyl. These parameter estimates were used to predict the time course of biphenyl degradation at different initial substrate concentrations and with biphenyl delivered from the two solvents with different partitioning behaviour for biphenyl. The predictions were validated by experimental data, confirming the microbial kinetics as well as the expected partitioning effects.