| The biodegradation rate of diesel fuel contaminated soil in oxygen enhanced, slurry-phase bioreactors was studied. Soil contaminated with a known amount of diesel fuel was mixed to a 10 percent slurry in water, inoculated with a known amount of a microorganism consortium and supplied with nutrients. The oxygen concentration of the slurry mixture was enhanced by three means: mechanical agitation, air sparging with agitation, and hydrogen peroxide (;The concentration of diesel fuel contamination was monitored daily to establish the biodegradation rate. The reactors were also monitored for dissolved oxygen, microbial populations, nutrient levels, pH and temperature.;The diesel fuel contamination was reduced from an average initial concentration of 3,443 mg/L to an average final concentration of 92 mg/L in an 8 day period. First order kinetics were used to describe the diesel fuel degradation for each of the reactors. Average first order rate constants of 0.2438, 0.1859 and 0.1746 in units of days... |
