BIOREACTOR STRATEGIES FOR THE TREATMENT OF GROWTH-INHIBITORY WASTE - AN ANALYSIS OF THIODIGLYCOL DEGRADATION, THE MAIN HYDROLYSIS PRODUCT OF SULFUR MUSTARD

The microbial degradation of thiodiglycol, the primary hydrolysis prod uct of sulfur mustard, by a pure culture of Alcaligenes xylosoxydans s sp. xylosoxydans (SH91) was accomplished in laboratory scale stirred t ank reactors. This is a major component of the overall biodegradation process proposed for the complete mineralization of sulfur mustard. Se veral configurations were evaluated for degradation efficiency includi ng batch, repeated batch, continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), and two-stage series CSTR. The repeated batch reactor provided the highest degradation rate of thiodiglycol. Further, this method degraded thiod iglycol in the liquid broth to below the detection limits (0.03 mM). B oth batch and repeated batch experiments were simulated by an unstruct ured mathematical model. Simulation results were in agreement with the experimental data, particularly at low TDG concentration (around 30 m M). This study demonstrates the degradation of thiodiglycol using bior eactors and, more generally, is an experimental study of bioreactor de signs for the degradation of growth-inhibitory substances.