Biodegradation of atrazine from wastewater using moving bed biofilm reactor under nitrate-reducing conditions: A kinetic study

In this study employed an anoxic moving bed biofilm reactor (AnMBBR) to evaluate the effects of hydraulic and toxic shocks on performance reactor. The results indicated a relatively good resistance of system against exercised shocks and its ability to return to steady-state conditions. In optimal conditions when there was the maximum rate of atrazine and soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal were 74.82% and 99.29% respectively. Also, atrazine biodegradation rapidly declines in AnMBBR from 74% ± 0.05 in the presence of nitrate to 9.12% only 3 days after the nitrate was eliding from the influent. Coefficients kinetics was studied and the maximum atrazine removal rate was determined by modified Stover & Kincannon model (U max = 9.87 g ATZ /m 3 d). Results showed that AnMBBR is feasible, easy, affordable, so suitable process for efficiently biodegrading toxic chlorinated organic compounds such as atrazine. Also, its removal mechanism in this system is co-metabolism.