Patent ID: 7682815
Filing Date: 2010-03-23
Classification: C02F,C12M,Y02E,Y02W

Abstract:
1. A method for continuous synchronous bioremediation of an aqueous contaminated liquid including a contaminant requiring reductive and oxidative steps for its biodegradation, comprising (a) providing a bioreactor containing a coupled single phase anaerobic(methanogenic)/aerobic(methanotrophic) biofilm, said biofilm comprising an anaerobic (methanogenic) zone located at a central core area of the biofilm, and a juxtaposed aerobic (methanotrophic) zone at a surrounding peripheral area of the biofilm, in fluid communication with the anaerobic (methanogenic) zone, and including a decreasing gradient of oxygen concentration from the aerobic (methanotrophic) zone to the anaerobic (methanogenic) zone toward the core area, and an electrolytic cell for hydrolyzing water to produce dissolved oxygen and hydrogen, in fluid communication with the bioreactor, (b) circulating the contaminated liquid through the electrolytic cell to together introduce a controlled amount of dissolved oxygen and hydrogen into the contaminated liquid, and (c) continuously cycling the oxygenated and hydrogenated contaminated liquid produced in step (b) through the bioreactor, wherein dissolved hydrogen is used as an electron donor by methanogenic bacteria and to in situ generate methane, and by anaerobic bacteria including methanogens; and dissolved oxygen is used as an electron acceptor by aerobic, including methanotrophic bacteria, and methane is used by methanotrophic bacteria, to remediate the contaminated liquid, respectively by synchronous reductive and oxidative steps.