The determination of TOC content in water is useful as a
measure of pollution. In the present study, TOC removal was
noticed in SW irrespective of the carbon concentrations studied
suggesting the system’s function towards treatment. Among the
different carbon concentrations, 5 g/l illustrated higher TOC
removal (88 ± 4%) followed by 10 g/l (86 ± 4%), 15 g/l (80 ± 6%),
20 g/l (68 ± 5%), 30 g/l (47 ± 5%), 40 g/l (28 ± 6%), 50 g/l (25 ± 4%)
and 60 g/l (15 ± 6%). Bacteria grown with lower carbon concentrations
showed higher TOC removal than higher carbon concentrations.
Lower TOC removal at higher carbon concentrations
might be due to the inhibition of bacterial growth by VFA
present in SW. This was supported by growth curve results,
where lower substrate concentrations took short time, and higher
substrate concentrations took more time to show maximum
growth.