ABSTRACT
Research has been conducted using a mixed culture in an anaerobic continuously stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) capable of carrying out a 1 to 1 molar reduction of perchlorate to chloride. Ammonium perchlorate exists as a stable, white crystalline material below 65 C. Due to its high energetic content, it has been used extensively as an oxidant in explosives and propellants. Biotreatment relevant to the needs of the US Air Force was presented in 1989 in a final report obtained from the Aerojet General Corporation. Having established that perchlorate degradation results in the production of inocuous salts, it was hypothesized that biotreatment may be a viable technology for end point destruction of perchlorates in dilute solutions. In addition, a second aerobic CSTR was used in one of the continuous culture experiments in an attempt to reduce concentrations of ammonia and chemical oxygen demand in the anaerobic effluent. Since this run lasted over 1200 hr, dilution rates representative of the run are presented.
