Biodegradation Kinetics of Benzene, Toluene, and Phenol as Single and Mixed Substrates for Pseudomonas putida F1

Abstract: Although microbial growth on substrate mix-tures is commonly encountered in bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and fermentation, mathematical modeling of mixed substrate kinetics has been limited. We report the kinetics of Pseudomonas putida F1 grow-ing on benzene, toluene, phenol, and their mixtures, and compare mathematical models to describe these results. The three aromatics are each able to act as carbon and energy sources for this strain. Biodegradation rates were measured in batch cultivations following a protocol that eliminated mass transfer limitations for the volatile sub-strates and considered the culture history of the inocu-lum and the initial substrate to inoculum mass ratio. Toluene and benzene were better growth substrates than phenol, resulting in faster growth and higher yield coef