A Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)-Biochar Reactor for the Adsorption and Biodegradation of Trichloroethylene: Design and Startup Phase

Marta M Rossi; Sara Alfano; Neda Amanat; Fabiano Andreini; Laura Lorini; Andrea Martinelli; Marco Petrangeli Papini

doi:10.3390/bioengineering9050192

A Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)-Biochar Reactor for the Adsorption and Biodegradation of Trichloroethylene: Design and Startup Phase

Bioengineering (Basel). 2022 Apr 28;9(5):192. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering9050192.

Authors

Marta M Rossi¹, Sara Alfano¹, Neda Amanat¹, Fabiano Andreini², Laura Lorini¹, Andrea Martinelli¹, Marco Petrangeli Papini¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
² Ecotherm s.r.l., Via Vaccareccia, 43/D, 00071 Rome, Italy.

Abstract

In this work, polyhydroxy butyrate (PHB) and biochar from pine wood (PWB) are used in a mini-pilot scale biological reactor (11.3 L of geometric volume) for trichloroethylene (TCE) removal (80 mgTCE/day and 6 L/day of flow rate). The PHB-biochar reactor was realized with two sequential reactive areas to simulate a multi-reactive permeable barrier. The PHB acts as an electron donor source in the first "fermentative" area. First, the thermogravimetric (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses were performed. The PHB-powder and pellets have different purity (96% and 93% w/w) and thermal properties. These characteristics may affect the biodegradability of the biopolymer. In the second reactive zone, the PWB works as a Dehalococcoides support and adsorption material since its affinity for chlorinated compounds and the positive effect of the "coupled adsorption and biodegradation" process has been already verified. A specific dechlorinating enriched culture has been inoculated in the PWB zone to realize a coupled adsorption and biodegradation process. Organic acids were revealed since the beginning of the test, and during the monitoring period the reductive dichlorination anaerobic pathway was observed in the first zone; no chlorinated compounds were detected in the effluent thanks to the PWB adsorption capacity.

Keywords: Dehalococcoides; biochar; bioremediation; polyhydroxy butyrate; reductive dechlorination.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the University Sapienza Research Project-Progetti di Ricerca (Piccoli, Medi)—Progetti Medi” 2020 “Sustainable strategies for environmental remediation and efficient use of resources”. Principal Investigator Marco Petrangeli Papini (MPP).