Testimonials
“We have found the performance of the system to be quite satisfying and user friendly. We are currently running low level O2 uptake experiments and are impressed with the sensitivity of the instrument.”
“I have found the performance of the Challenge AER-200 to be unmatched. The precise measurement of oxygen consumption, homogenous mass transfer of test materials, and constant and consistent operating temperature have enabled me to obtain extremely accurate test results, particularly as compared to other respirometer systems. I find the Challenge system to be extremely user friendly.”
Aerobic Treatment of Oily Soil
An oily soil from a refinery site contained 4.7% hydrocarbons by weight. The total COD of the soil was 55,000 mg/L. Tests were conducted to determine if Tween–80, a surfactant, enhanced the biodegradation of the oily contaminants in the soil. Samples of the oily soil were added to individual reactors of a Challenge AER–200 respirometer system. Tween–80 was added on one set of samples at a T–80:soil ratio (w/w) of 1:10. The tests were conducted for 52 days without interruption.
The respirometer tests showed that Tween–80 enhanced the biodegradation of the organic materials in the soil sample. Without T–80, the 52–day oxygen uptake represented 30% of the COD while with T–80, the 52–day oxygen uptake represented 67% of the COD as shown in the accompanying figure. (All data have been corrected for dilution and for the contribution of seed organisms to the oxygen uptake).