Biodegradation of 4-nitrophenol in a two-phase sequencing batch reactor: concept demonstration, kinetics and modelling

The objectives of this work were to demonstrate the potential of a two-phase sequencing batch reactor in degrading xenobiotics and to evaluate the kinetic parameters leading to a mathematical model of the system. 4-Nitrophenol (4NP), a typical representative of substituted phenols, was selected as the target xenobiotic; this compound has never been remediated in a two-phase bioreactor before. Partition tests were conducted to determine the most appropriate partitioning solvent, and among the three investigated solvents (1-undecanol, 2-undecanone and oleyl alcohol), 2-undecanone was chosen because of its favourable partition coefficient and its negligible emulsion-forming tendencies. Moreover, the selected solvent showed satisfactory biocompatibility characteristics with respect to the biomass, with only minor effects on the intrinsic microbial kinetics. Kinetic tests were then performed in a sequencing batch reactor (2-l volume) operated in both conventional one- and two-phase configurations, with the two-phase system showing a significant improvement in the process kinetics in terms of reduced inhibition and increased maximum removal rate. The obtained kinetic parameters suggest that the two-phase sequencing batch system may find full-scale application, as the maximum removal rate k max (~3 mg 4NP mgVSS⁻¹ day⁻¹) is of the same order of magnitude of heterotrophic bacteria operating in wastewater treatment plants.