KINETICS OF BIODEGRADATION OF DI-N-BUTYL PHTHALATE IN CONTINUOUS-CULTURE SYSTEM

The characteristics of microbial growth and kinetics of DBP biodegrada tion was studied in a continuous culture system using DBP as a sole so urce of carbon. The results showed that, at high substrate concentrati on, the microbial growth was inhibited by DBP, and can be described by the Haldane model. Kinetic parameters based on Haldane substrate inhi bition were evaluated. The values were mu(m) = 0.38 h(-1), K-i = 86 mg /L, K-s = 28 mg/L. The DBP concentration to avoid substrate inhibition was inferred theoretically and determined to be 49 mg/L. (C) 1998 Els evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.