Kinetics of the aerobic co-metabolism of 1,1-dichloroethylene by Achromobacter sp.: a novel benzene-grown culture.

Batch experiments were performed for the aerobic co-metabolism of 1,1-dichloroethylene (1,1-DCE) by Achromobacter sp., identified by gene sequencing of 16S rRNA and grown on benzene. Kinetic models were employed to simulate the co-metabolic degradation of 1,1-DCE, and relevant parameters were obtained by non-linear least squares regression. Benzene at 90 mg L(-1) non-competitively inhibited degradation of 1,1-DCE (from 125 to 1,200 μg L(-1)). The maximum specific utilization (kc) rate and the half-saturation constant (Kc) for 1,1-DCE were 54 ± 0.85 μg h(-1) and 220 ± 6.8 μg L(-1), respectively; the kb and Kb for benzene were 13 ± 0.18 mg h(-1) and 28 ± 0.42 mg L(-1), respectively. This study provides a theoretical basis to predict the natural attenuation when benzene and 1,1-DCE occur as co-contaminants.