This research used sediment-free mixed consortium growing in a
defined synthetic mineral medium and this consortium has been established in
laboratory from a fluidized bed bioreactor. The results found that after 2 weeks of
incubation, it was confirmed that no dichlorobenzene had been formed. At this time,
one of the following additional electron donors was injected into the cultures: none,
hydrogen, formate, acetate, or pyruvate. Finally, after a further 3 weeks of incubation, it
revealed that formate was readily used as an electron donor for reductive dechlorination
of trichlorobenzenes whereas none, hydrogen or acetate was not.