Journal article
Solubilization, solution equilibria, and biodegradation of PAH’s under thermophilic conditions
Chemosphere (Oxford), Vol.66(6), pp.1094-1106
2007
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100762
PMID: 16934313
Abstract
Biodegradation rates of PAHs are typically low at mesophilic conditions and it is believed that the kinetics of degradation is controlled by PAH solubility and mass transfer rates. Solubility tests were performed on phenanthrene, fluorene and fluoranthene at 20
°C, 40
°C and 60
°C and, as expected, a significant increase in the equilibrium solubility concentration and of the rate of dissolution of these polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was observed with increasing temperature. A first-order model was used to describe the PAH dissolution kinetics and the thermodynamic property changes associated with the dissolution process (enthalpy, entropy and Gibb’s free energy of solution) were evaluated. Further, other relevant thermodynamic properties for these PAHs, including the activity coefficients at infinite dilution, Henry’s law constants and octanol–water partition coefficients, were calculated in the temperature range 20–60
°C. In parallel with the dissolution studies, three thermophilic
Geobacilli were isolated from compost that grew on phenanthrene at 60
°C and degraded the PAH more rapidly than other reported mesophiles. Our results show that while solubilization rates of PAHs are significantly enhanced at elevated temperatures, the biodegradation of PAHs under thermophilic conditions is likely mass transfer limited due to enhanced degradation rates.
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Details
- Title
- Solubilization, solution equilibria, and biodegradation of PAH’s under thermophilic conditions
- Creators
- Sridhar Viamajala - National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd. MS 3511, Golden, CO 80401, United StatesBrent M Peyton - Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717-3920, United StatesLee A Richards - Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717-3920, United StatesJames N Petersen - Department of Chemical Engineering, WSU/NSF IGERT Center for Multiphase Environmental Research, Washington State University, P.O. Box 642719, Pullman, WA 99164-2719, United States
- Publication Details
- Chemosphere (Oxford), Vol.66(6), pp.1094-1106
- Academic Unit
- Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, School of
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Identifiers
- 99900546664501842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article