Removal of aqueous benzene in the immobilized batch and continuous packed bed bioreactor by isolated Bacillus sp. M1

Benzene biodegradation was studied in batch and continuous packed bed bioreactors using polyurethane foam (PUF) as packing media by
isolated Bacillus sp. M1. The values of optimized process parameters were found to be 800 × 106 CFU·mL−1, 400 mg·L−1, 7.0 and 37 °C for
inoculum size, substrate concentration, pH and temperature respectively. Continuous packed bed bioreactor (CPBBR) was operated and monitored
for 69 days on laboratory scale at various flow rates (10–60 mL·h−1). The steady state removal efficiency was observed more than 90% up to the
inlet load of 288 mg·L−1.d−1 and elimination capacity was found to be 91.2–266.4 mg·L−1·day−1. Monod growth model was applied for the removal
of benzene and values were found to be (Ks: 215.07 mg·L−1; μmax: 0.314 day−1).