This research advances an innovative approach to intimately couple photochemical oxidation with biological degradation in a single-stage reactor, called a 'photo-catalytic circulating-bed biofilm reactor' or PCBBR, to treat recalcitrant and toxic organic compounds. The innovation of the PCBBR involves bringing the active microbial biomass into proximity with photochemical oxidation processes so that recalcitrant organic contaminants are degraded synergistically by a combination of biodegradation and chemical oxidation but the microorganisms still are protected from the negative effects of the photochemical oxidation. This will be achieved by constructing reactors with macro-porous carriers coated with nano-scale TiO2 photo-catalyst on their outer surface and biofilms will be grown in the interiors of the carriers. Factors influencing performance will be identified in a manner that will permit scale-up. The research will include a graduate student, post-doc, undergraduates, and a high school intern.
