Effect of initial sulfide concentration on sulfide and phenol oxidation under denitrifying conditions

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the initial sulfide concentration on the kinetics and metabolism of phenol and sulfide in batch bioassays using nitrate as electron acceptor. Complete oxidation of sulfide (20 mg L−1 of S2−) and phenol (19.6 mg L−1) was linked to nitrate reduction when nitrate was supplemented at stoichiometric concentrations. At 32 mg L−1 of sulfide, oxidation of sulfide and phenol by the organo–lithoautotrophic microbial culture was sequential; first sulfide was rapidly oxidized to elemental sulfur and afterwards to sulfate; phenol oxidation started once sulfate production reached a maximum. When the initial sulfide concentration was increased from 20 to 26 and finally to 32 mg L−1, sulfide oxidation was inhibited. In contrast phenol consumption by the denitrifying culture was not affected. These results indicated that sulfide affected strongly the sulfide oxidation rate and nitrate reduction.