Biological removal of nitrate by an oil reservoir culture capable of autotrophic and heterotrophic activities: Kinetic evaluation and modeling of heterotrophic process

Kinetics of heterotrophic denitrification was investigated using an oil reservoir culture with the ability to function under both autotrophic and heterotrophic conditions. In the batch system nitrate at concentrations up to 30 mM did not influence the kinetics but with 50 mM slower growth and removal rates were observed. A kinetic model, representing the denitrification as reduction of nitrate to nitrite, and subsequent reduction of nitrite to nitrous oxides and nitrogen gas was developed. The value of various kinetic coefficients, including maximum specific growth rate, saturation constant, yield and activation energy for nitrate and nitrite reductions were determined by fitting the experimental data into the developed model. In continuous bioreactors operated with 10 or 30 mM nitrate, complete removal of nitrate (no residual nitrite) and linear dependency between nitrate loading and removal rates were observed for loading rates up to 0.21 and 0.58 mM h−1, respectively. The highest removal rates of 0.31 and 0.94 mM h−1 observed at loading rates of 0.42 mM h−1 and 1.26 mM h−1, with corresponding removal percentages of nitrate and total nitrogen being 75.4, 54.4%, and 74.4 and 17.9%, respectively. Developed kinetic model predicted the performance of the continuous bioreactors with accuracy.