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Advanced enzymatic elimination of phenolic contaminants in wastewater: a nano approach at field scale

  • Environmental biotechnology
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Abstract

The removal of recalcitrant chemicals in wastewater treatment systems is an increasingly relevant issue in industrialized countries. The elimination of persistent xenobiotics such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) emitted by municipal and industrial sewage treatment plants remains an unsolved challenge. The existing efficacious physico-chemical methods, such as advanced oxidation processes, are resource-intensive technologies. In this work, we investigated the possibility to remove phenolic EDCs [i.e., bisphenol A (BPA)] by means of a less energy and chemical consuming technology. To that end, cheap and resistant oxidative enzymes, i.e., laccases, were immobilized onto silica nanoparticles. The resulting nanobiocatalyst produced at kilogram scale was demonstrated to possess a broad substrate spectrum regarding the degradation of recalcitrant pollutants. This nanobiocatalyst was applied in a membrane reactor at technical scale for tertiary wastewater treatment. The system efficiently removed BPA and the results of long-term field tests illustrated the potential of fumed silica nanoparticles/laccase composites for advanced biological wastewater treatment.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank AB Enzymes for the supply of genus Thielavia laccase . Furthermore, the support of the Commission for Technology and Innovation of the Swiss Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (Grant PFNM-NM 9632.1, Project LANCE) and the European Commission within the 7th Framework Program under grant agreement 265946 (Project Minotaurus) is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Ecopreneurship, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, Muttenz, CH-4132, Switzerland

    Christoph A. Gasser, Liang Yu, Jan Svojitka, Thomas Wintgens, Erik M. Ammann, Philippe F.-X. Corvini & Gregor Hommes

  2. Institute for Chemistry and Bioanalytics, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, Muttenz, CH-4132, Switzerland

    Patrick Shahgaldian

  3. State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University Xianlin Campus, Xianlin Avenue 163, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Philippe F.-X. Corvini

Authors
  1. Christoph A. Gasser
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  2. Liang Yu
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  3. Jan Svojitka
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  4. Thomas Wintgens
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  5. Erik M. Ammann
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  6. Patrick Shahgaldian
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  7. Philippe F.-X. Corvini
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  8. Gregor Hommes
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Philippe F.-X. Corvini.

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Gasser, C.A., Yu, L., Svojitka, J. et al. Advanced enzymatic elimination of phenolic contaminants in wastewater: a nano approach at field scale. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 98, 3305–3316 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-013-5414-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-013-5414-8

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