Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Removal of aqueous phenol using immobilized enzymes in a bench scale and pilot scale three-phase fluidized bed reactor

  • Original papers
  • Published:
Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The main objective of this work was to investigate the removal of aqueous phenol using immobilized enzymes in both bench scale and pilot scale three-phase fluidized bed reactors. The enzyme used in this application was a fungal tyrosinase [E.C. 1.14.18.1] immobilized in a system of chitosan and alginate. The immobilization matrix consisted of a chitosan matrix cross-linked with glutaraldehyde with an aliginate-filled pore space. This support matrix showed superior mechanical properties along with retaining the unique adsorptive characteristics of the chitosan. Adsorption of the o-quinone product by the chitosan reduced tyrosinase inactivation that is normally observed for this enzyme under these conditions. This approach allowed reuse of the enzyme in repeated batch applications. For the bench scale reactor (1.2-l capacity) more than 92% of the phenol could be removed from the feed water using an immobilized enzyme volume of 18.5% and a residence time of the liquid phase of 150 min. Removal rates decreased with subsequent batch runs. For the pilot scale fluidized bed (60 l), 60% phenol removal was observed with an immobilized enzyme volume of 5% and a residence time of the liquid phase of 7 h. Removal decreased to 45% with a repeat batch run with the same immobilized enzyme.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Karam J, Nicell JA (1997) Potential applications of enzymes in waste treatment. J Chem Tech Biotechnol 69:141–153

    Google Scholar 

  2. Flock C, Bassi A, Gijzen M (1999) Removal of aqueous phenol and 2-chlorophenol with purified soybean peroxidase and raw soybean hulls. J Chem Tech Biotech 74:303–309

    Google Scholar 

  3. Caza N, Bewtra JK, Biswas N, Taylor KE (1999) Removal of phenolic compounds from synthetic wastewater using soybean peroxidase. Wat Res 33:3012–3018

    Google Scholar 

  4. Seetharam GB, Saville, BA (2003) Degradation of phenol using tyrosinase immobilized on siliceous supports. Wat Res 37:436–440

    Google Scholar 

  5. Vamos-Vigyazo L (1981) Polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase in fruits and vegetables. CRC Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 15:49–127

    Google Scholar 

  6. Meyer A, Harel E (1991) Polyphenoldoxidases and their significance in fruit and vegetables. Food Enzymology, Ch 9. Elsevier, London, pp 373–398

  7. Ikehata K, Nicell JA (2000) Color and toxicity removal following tyrosinase-catalyzed oxidation of phenols. Biotech Prog 16:533–540

    Google Scholar 

  8. Wu Y, Taylor KE, Biswas N, Bewtra JK (1999) Kinetic model for removal of phenol by horseradish peroxidase with PEG. J Environ Eng 125:451–458

    Google Scholar 

  9. Ibrahim MS, Ali HI, Taylor KE, Biswas N, Bewtra JK (2001) Enzyme-catalyzed removal of phenol from refinery wastewater: Feasibility studies. Water Environ Res 73:165–172

    Google Scholar 

  10. Sun WQ, Payne F (1996) Tyrosinase-containing chitosan gels: a combined catalyst and sorbent for selective phenol removal. Biotech Bioeng 51:79–86

    Google Scholar 

  11. Juang R-S, Wu F-C, Tseng R-L (2002) Use of chemically modified chitosan beads for sorption and enzyme immobilization. Adv Environ Res 6:171–177

    Google Scholar 

  12. Cetinus SA, Öztop HN (2003) Immobilization of catalase into chemically crosslinked chitosan beads. Enzyme Microb Tech 23:889–894

    Google Scholar 

  13. Edwards W, Leukes WD, Rose PD, Burton SG (1999) Immobilization of polyphenol oxidase on chitosan-coated polysulphone capillary membranes for improved phenolic effluent bioremediation. Enzyme Microb Tech 25:769–773

    Google Scholar 

  14. Payne F, Sun WQ (1994) Tyrosinase reaction and subsequent chitosan adsorption for selective removal of a contaminant from a fermentation recycle stream. Appl Environ Microbiol 60:397–401

    Google Scholar 

  15. Wada S, Ichikawa H, Tatsumi K (1995) Removal of phenols and aromatic amines from wastewater by a combination treatment with tyrosinase and a coagulant. Biotech Bioeng 45:304–309

    Google Scholar 

  16. Ikehata K, Nicell JA (2000) Characterization of tyrosinase for the treatment of aqueous phenols. Bioresource Tech 74:191–199

    Google Scholar 

  17. Worthington Biochemical Corp. (1972) Worthington enzyme manual. Freehold, New Jersey

  18. Taticek RA, Moo-Young M, Legge RL (1990) Effect of bioreactor configuration on substrate uptake by cell suspension cultures of the plant Eschscholtzia californica. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 33:280–286

    Google Scholar 

  19. Sun W-Q, Payne GF, Moas M, Chu JH, Wallace KK (1992) Tyrosinase reaction/chitosan adsorption for removing phenols from wastewater. Biotech Prog 8:179–186

    Google Scholar 

  20. Shishido M, Kojima T, Araike Y-K, Toda M (1995) Biological phenol degradation by immobilized activated sludge in gel bead with three-phase fluidized bed bioreactor. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, Trans Insti Chem Eng 73(A):719–726

    Google Scholar 

  21. Alvarez-Cuenca M, Nerenberg MA, Asfour AA (1984) Mass transfer effects near the distributor of three-phase fluidized bed. Ind Eng Chem Fundamentals 23:381–386

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The experimental work presented herein is the result of the academic agreement between Ryerson University and the University of Cartagena de Indias (Colombia) and the collaboration of the Departments of Chemical Engineering of Ryerson University (Toronto) and the University of Waterloo (Waterloo). RLL acknowledges support of this work in the form of a Discovery Grant from NSERC.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3G1

    Raymond L. Legge

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3G1

    Lucila Ensuncho & Raymond L. Legge

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5B 2K3

    Manuel Alvarez-Cuenca

Authors
  1. Lucila Ensuncho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Manuel Alvarez-Cuenca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Raymond L. Legge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raymond L. Legge.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ensuncho, L., Alvarez-Cuenca, M. & Legge, R.L. Removal of aqueous phenol using immobilized enzymes in a bench scale and pilot scale three-phase fluidized bed reactor. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 27, 185–191 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-005-0400-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-005-0400-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation