Novel Application of Immobilized Bacillus Cells for Biotreatment of Furfural-Laden Wastewater

Haneen A. Khudhair, Zainab Z. Ismail

Immobilization of growing bacterial cells was considered as an innovative technique and very effective in dealing with major environmental challenges for bioremediation of organics-loaded wastewater. This study was undertaken to investigate the aerobic biodegradation of furfural in aqueous solution by using immobilized Bacillus cells in spouted bed bioreactor. Bacillus cells were individually immobilized in the matrices of sodium alginate, guar-gum, and agar-agar; each was cross linked in polyvinyl alcohol. Immobilized cells exhibited efficient furfural degradation in several successive reuse batches up to 3 cycles without losing their degradation activity which could provide economic advantages when used in industrial-scale applications. Results of batch experiments in fluidized spouted bed bioreactor demonstrated that complete removal of furfural using immobilized Bacillus cells in the first and second cycles was achieved after 450 and 480 min, respectively. The removal efficiency of furfural was 100%, 100%, and 95% for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, cycles, respectively. Unlike the free cells, the potentiality of the immobilized cells is that they could be reused without reduction in their ability to degrade hazardous furfural. Additional advantage of immobilized cells compared to free cells, is their ability to tolerate high concentrations of furfural.

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