A batch reactor with air and immobilized biomass of Aspergillus niger AN400 was operated during 10 cycles of 7 days to remove benzene (200 mg.L-1), toluene (200 mg.L-1), and xylene (50 mg.L-1) - BTX - and nutrients from basal medium. The reactor was weekly fed with 4 L of the medium and glucose - 1 g.L-1 (Phase I) and 0.5 g.L-1 (Phase II). The BTX had been detected until the fourth day of operation in all cycles. The best efficiencies of removal had been in Phase I: 75% of soluble organic matter, 80% of orthophosphate and 77% of ammonia. The reactor can be a viable alternative for the contaminated water treatment with BTX. However it has the necessity to study behavior of the reactor during longer period of operation and with shorter reaction cycles, as well as the identification of the produced metabolites.
Aspergillus niger AN 400; sequential batch; BTX; nutrients
