Kinetics of microbial sulfate reduction

Abstract

Microbial dissimilatory reduction uses sulfate as the electron acceptor in the oxidation of organic matter. Effects of microbial growth rate, temperature, and sulfate concentration were investigated. The Monod function for bacterial substrate utilization was selected as the basic kinetic model. Laboratory scale, anaerobic, continuous flow reactors were used to determine values of the model coefficients at 20/sup 0/, 25/sup 0/, and 31/sup 0/C. Acetic acid was the sole organic carbon source. The same reactors were operated in batch mode to determine the effect of sulfate concentration on growth kinetics. The following values of the model coefficients were determined: maximum specific rate of substrate utilization, Monod half velocity coefficient, bacterial growth yield coefficient, bacterial decay coefficient, and maximum specific growth rate of the bacteria. Preliminary design equations for anaerobic sulfate reducing reactors are presented.