Simultaneous Diesel and Oxygen Transfer Rate on the Production of an Oil-degrading Consortium in an Airlift Bioreactor: High-dispersed Phase Concentration

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study was to simultaneously evaluate diesel transfer rate (DTR) and oxygen transfer rate (OTR) on the production of an oil-degrading consortium in a three-phase airlift bioreactor (ALB) working at high hydrocarbon phase concentration with the purpose of determine whether the oxygen transfer rate is increased or diminished by an increase in the oil-phase concentration. Increase in hydrocarbon concentration allows an increase in DTR and a consequently higher DTR/OTR ratio thus avoiding hydrocarbon mass transfer limitations. This study demonstrates evidence that at high diesel concentrations, the main carbon fate is the production of biosurfactants.