Dynamic Modelling of Biofilm Reactors with Immobilised Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria

This paper presents a simple, reliable and extensible dynamic biofilm model. The model simulates the case of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria (SRB) grown as biofilm on the surface of an inert support material in a completely mixed bioreactor. The principles of microbial stoichiometry and thermodynamics combined with microbial kinetic equations and chemical reactions have been implemented in AQUASIM software. Simulation results predict the biofilm growth, the reactor bulk volume solute concentrations and their corresponding profiles in the biofilm layer. The interaction of metal ions with biogenic sulfide is also discussed as decontamination means for a wastewater stream containing high metal and sulfate concentrations.