Kinetic analysis and degradation pathway for m-dichlorobenzene removal by Brevibacillus agri DH-1 and its performance in a biotrickling filter.

A strain, Brevibacillus agri DH-1, isolated from dry lands was used to remove m-dichlorobenzene. After 48h culturing, the concentrations of m-dichlorobenzene decreased from 26-130 to 7.87-28.87mg/L and dry cell weight for bacterial growth reached 52.43-75.05mg/L. The growth and degradation kinetics were analyzed by the fitting of Haldane-Andrews model and pseudo first-order model. A degradation pathway was proposed according to major intermediates (phenol), chloride ion variation, ring-opening enzyme activity, and high mineralization (0.47gCl-/gm-dichlorobenzene, 0.65 gco2/gm-dichlorobenzene, 0.15 gDCW/gm-dichlorobenzene). In addition, the performance in a biotrickling filter (BTF) was evaluated through removal efficiency and pressure drop values with increasing inlet loading rate from 4.10 to 122.57g/m3/h at three empty bed residence time points (30s, 60s, and 90s). The results demonstrated that strain DH-1 possessed high removal efficiency and stable operation in a BTF.