KINETICS OF HYDROGEN-SULFIDE OXIDATION BY IMMOBILIZED AUTOTROPHIC ANDHETEROTROPHIC BACTERIA IN BIOREACTORS

The kinetics of H2S oxidation in bioreactors with separately packed au totrophic Thiobacillus thioparus CH11 and heterotrophic Pseudomonas pu tida CH11 were evaluated. The reaction rates were determined to be fir st-order below 20 ppm, zero-order above 60 ppm, and fractional-order i n the intermediate concentration ranges for the Thiobacillus thioparus CH11 bioreactor, the first-order below 35 ppm, zero-order above 80 pp m, and fractional-order in the intermediate concentration ranges for t he Pseudomonas putida CH11 bioreactor. The saturation constants for H2 S by Thiobacillus thioparus CH11 and Pseudomonas putida CH11 were calc ulated to be 30.3 ppm and 44.2 ppm, respectively.