Performance evaluation of a continuous packed bed bioreactor: Bio-kinetics and external mass transfer study.

The biodegradation of naphthalene using low-density polyethylene (LDPE) immobilized Exiguobacterium sp. RKS3 (MG696729) in a packed bed bioreactor (PBBR) was studied. The performance of a continuous PBBR was evaluated at different inlet flow rates (IFRs) (20-100 mL/h) under 64 days of operation. The maximum naphthalene removal efficiency (RE) was found at low IFR, and it further decreased with increasing IFRs. In a continuous PBBR, the external mass transfer (EMT) aspect was analysed at various IFRs, and experimental data were interrelated between Colburn factor (J _D ) and Reynolds number (N _Re ) as [Formula: see text] . A new correlation [Formula: see text] was obtained to predict the EMT aspect of naphthalene biodegradation. Andrew-Haldane model was used to evaluate the bio-kinetic parameters of naphthalene degradation, and kinetic constant ν _max , J _s , and J _i were found as 0.386 per day, 13.6 mg/L, and 20.54 mg/L, respectively.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest I declare that this is an original research work of the authors and all the authors have contributed in completion of this work, which is embedded in this paper. I also confirm that this work has not been published elsewhere nor it is currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. I have no any conflict of interest.
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