The Statistical Optimization of TCE Dechlorination by Geobacter lovleyi Using Box-Behnken Design

This study investigated the use of Geobacter lovleyi with TBOS(Tetrabutoxysilane) for TCE(Trichloroethylene) dechlorination. The TCE dechlorination by Geobacter lovleiy was mathematically described as the independent variables such as initial concentration of TCE, protein mass of Geobacter lovleyi and initial concentration of TOBS, and these were modeled by the use of response surface methodology(RSM). These experiments were carried out as a Box-Behnken Design(BBD) consisting of 15 experiments. The application of RSM yielded the following equation, which is empirical relationship for the dechlorination efficiency(, %) of TCE and first order kinetic constant of TCE() by independent variables in coded unit : (initial concentration of TCE) + (protein mass as Geobacter lovleyi injected mass) - (initial concentration of TBOS) - - + 93.67, . In this case, the value of the adjusted determination coefficient(adjusted = 0.975 and 0.934) were closed to 1, showing a high significance of the model. Statistical results showed the order of TCE dechlorination at experimental factors to be initial TCE concentration > initial TBOS concentration > protein mass, but the interaction effects were non-significant.