Biodegradation of 1,4-Dioxane Using Trickling Filter

Abstract

The ability of a laboratory-scale trickling filter to biodegrade cyclic ethers was investigated and a simple kinetic model was developed to predict ether biodegradation. The trickling filter received a feed solution designed to mimic ether concentrations typically encountered in contaminated groundwater. The reactor was operated for approximately 1 year and was capable of biodegrading 93–97% of 1,4-dioxane at various loading rates in the obligate presence of tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the growth substrate. A simple tanks-in-series hydraulic model combined with a kinetic model that incorporated cometabolism was utilized to simulate removal of THF and 1,4-dioxane. Model simulations of THF removal were satisfactory for all loading rates analyzed. However, the model somewhat over predicted 1,4-dioxane removal. This research demonstrates the ability to treat groundwater contaminated with low concentrations of ethers in attached growth reactors.