Research paperRemoval of aqueous benzene in the immobilized batch and continuous packed bed bioreactor by isolated Bacillus sp. M1

Benzene biodegradation was studied in batch and continuous packed bed bioreactors using polyurethane foam (PUF) as packing media by isolated Bacillus sp. M1. The values of optimized process parameters were found to be 800 × 106 CFU⋅mL−1, 400 mg⋅L−1, 7.0 and 37 °C for inoculum size, substrate concentration, pH and temperature respectively. Continuous packed bed bioreactor (CPBBR) was operated and monitored for 69 days on laboratory scale at various flow rates (10-60 mL⋅h−1). The steady state removal efficiency was observed more than 90% up to the inlet load of 288 mg⋅L−1.d−1 and elimination capacity was found to be 91.2-266.4 mg⋅L−1⋅day−1. Monod growth model was applied for the removal of benzene and values were found to be (Ks: 215.07 mg⋅L−1; µmax: 0.314 day−1).