Kinetics of anaerobic biodegradation of resorcinol catechol and hydroquinone in upflow fixed film–fixed bed reactors

Biodegradation of resorcinol, catechol and hydroquinone under anaerobic conditions was studied in identical upflow fixed film–fixed bed reactors. Kinetic constants; Vmax (maximum substrate utilization rate) and Ks (Monod’s half saturation constant) were determined for the three compounds using Lineweaver–Burk plot. Vmax for resorcinol was highest, followed by catechol and then by hydroquinone. When both resorcinol and catechol were fed to the resorcinol-acclimated reactor, resorcinol degradation was inhibited by catechol. The inhibition was of the uncompetitive type and Vmax for resorcinol was reduced by catechol.