CO2 removal by high-density culture of a marine cyanobacterium synechococcus sp. using an improved photobioreactor employing light-diffusing optical fibers

A light diffusing optical fiber (LDOF) photobioreactor with an improved gas input system has been used for the high-density culture of a marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. Optimum conditions for CO2 removal and biomass production were investigated. Maximum CO2 removal of 4.44 g/L/d was achieved using an initial cell concentration of 6.8 g/L. The biomass yield was 0.97 g/L for a 12-culture time. Continuous cultures, in which medium was filtered using a ceramic membrane module, showed enhanced growth, with a final cell concentration of 11.2 g/L. These results demonstrate the potential of LDOF photobioreactor units for CO2 removal and biomass production using marine cyanobacteria.

     

Immobilization of alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. cells for xylanase production using batch and continuous culture

Agar-immobilized alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. AR-009 cells were used for xylanase production using batch and continuous culture. In a batch culture, maximum enzyme production was observed after 48 h and remained high up to 72 h. In repeated batch cultivation, immobilized cells produced an appreciable level of xylanase activity in seven consecutive batches without any significant decline in productivity. For continuous xylanase production, immobilized cells were packed in a jacketed glass column and sterile medium was continuously pumped. A stable continuous production of xylanase was observed over a period of 1 mo. The volumetric productivity of the continuous culture was 17-fold higher than the batch culture using free cells.     

Decolorization of olive mill waste-waters by free and immobilizedPhanerochaete chrysosporium cultures

This paper describes the decolorization and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of olive mill waste-waters (OMW) byPhanerochaete chrysosporium grown in agitated submerged cultures. WhenP. chrysosporium was cultivated in the form of pellet, no decolorization of crude OMW was observed. Decolorization occured only after removing by ultrafiltration, the high-mol-wt (HM) polyphenolic fraction (> 60 kDa). The use of high lignin peroxidase (LiP) producing medium yielded the highest levels of OMW decolorization and COD removal. In this case, extensive depolymerization and subsequent accumulation of phenolics with intermediates molecular weight were observed. Furthermore, increasing the concentration of the HM fraction decreased the color and COD removals. The decolorizing activity was lost when the concentration of the HM fraction reached 25% (v/v). Consequently, LiP activity was found to be completely inhibited in the presence of HM fraction, but not with the low-mol-wt (LM) polyphenolic fraction (<8 kDa). The use ofP. chrysosporium immobilized on polyurethane foam resulted in efficient decolorization of crude OMW. Moreover, the addition of an induction medium was shown to perform several repeated batch cultures for OMW decolorization and COD removal.     

Denitrification and removal of heavy metals from waste water by immobilized microorganisms

Pseudomonas fluorescens, immobilized on soft polyvinyl chloride granules containing up to 35% softeners as carbon source, was used for simultaneous removal of nitrate and heavy metals. In typical continuous column operation, a 100 mg/L nitrate input solution was reduced to a 20 mg/L output at a feeding rate of 1500 mL/h, with a capacity of 14 kg/day/m³, and with an efficiency of 79%. In the same column, Pb(NO₃)₂ concentration was reduced from 1.0 to 0.05−0.1 mg/L and ZnSO₄ concentration was reduced from 10 to 5 mg/L.Pseudomonas aeruginosa immobilized on an O₂ plasma-treated melt blown polypropylene web was used for removing 95% of a 1.7 nCi PuCl₄ activity from a nuclear plant waste water in a batch operation.     

Glutamate production from CO2 by Marine CyanobacteriumSynechococcus sp.

A photobioreactor was constructed in the form of a Perspex column 900 mm tall with an internal diameter of 70 mm. The reactor volume was 1.8 L and the light source consisted of a metal-halide lamp to reproduce sunlight. Light was distributed through the culture using a new type of optical fiber that diffuses light out through its surface, perpendicular to the fiber axis. A cluster of 661 light-diffusing optical fibers (LDOFs) pass from the light source through the reactor column (60-cm culture depth) and are connected to a mirror at the top of the reactor. This biosolar reactor has been used for the production of glutamate from CO₂ by the marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. NKBG040607. We present here details of the construction of the biosolar reactor and characterization of its properties. The effect of light intensity on glutamate production was measured. Carbon dioxide-to-glutamate conversion ratios were determined at different cell densities: the maximum conversion ratio (28%) was achieved at a cell density of 3x10⁸ cells/mL. A comparison of glutamate production using the LDOF biosolar reactor described here with production by batch culture using free or immobilized cells showed that use of an optical-fiber biosolar reactor increased glutamate-production efficiency 6.75-fold. We conclude that as a result of its high surface-to-volume ratio (692/m) increased photoproduction of useful compounds may be achieved. Such a system is generally applicable to all aspects of photobiotechnology.     

Cultivation of Chlorella protothecoides with Urban Wastewater in Continuous Photobioreactor: Biomass Productivity and Nutrient Removal

The capability to grow microalgae in nonsterilized wastewater is essential for an application of this technology in an actual industrial process. Batch experiments were carried out with the species in nonsterilized urban wastewater from local treatment plants to measure both the algal growth and the nutrient consumption. Chlorella protothecoides showed a high specific growth rate (about 1 day^?1), and no effects of bacterial contamination were observed. Then, this microalgae was grown in a continuous photobioreactor with CO₂–air aeration in order to verify the feasibility of an integrated process of the removal of nutrient from real wastewaters. Different residence times were tested, and biomass productivity and nutrients removal were measured. A maximum of microalgae productivity was found at around 0.8 day of residence time in agreement with theoretical expectation in the case of light-limited cultures. In addition, N-NH₄ and P-PO₄ removal rates were determined in order to model the kinetic of nutrients uptake. Results from batch and continuous experiments were used to propose an integrated process scheme of wastewater treatment at industrial scale including a section with C. protothecoides.     

AnSBBR Applied to a Personal Care Industry Wastewater Treatment: Effects of Fill Time,Volume Treated Per Cycle,and Organic Load

A study was performed regarding the effect of the relation between fill time, volume treated per cycle, and influent concentration at different applied organic loadings on the stability and efficiency of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor containing immobilized biomass on polyurethane foam with recirculation of the liquid phase (AnSBBR) applied to the treatment of wastewater from a personal care industry. Total cycle length of the reactor was 8 h (480 min). Fill times were 10 min in the batch operation, 4 h in the fed-batch operation, and a 10-min batch followed by a 4-h fed batch in the mixed operation. Settling time was not necessary since the biomass was immobilized and decant time was 10 min. Volume of liquid medium in the reactor was 2.5 L, whereas volume treated per cycle ranged from 0.88 to 2.5 L in accordance with fill time. Influent concentration varied from 300 to 1,425 mg COD/L, resulting in an applied volumetric organic load of 0.9 and 1.5 g COD/L.d. Recirculation flow rate was 20 L/h, and the reactor was maintained at 30 °C. Values of organic matter removal efficiency of filtered effluent samples were below 71% in the batch operations and above 74% in the operations of fed batch followed by batch. Feeding wastewater during part of the operational cycle was beneficial to the system, as it resulted in indirect control over the conversion of substrate into intermediates that would negatively interfere with the biochemical reactions regarding the degradation of organic matter. As a result, the average substrate consumption increased, leading to higher organic removal efficiencies in the fed-batch operations.     

Development of a novel composite by coating polyacrylic fibres with hexacyanoferrates for the removal of Cs from radioactive liquid waste

Hexacyanoferrates (HCFs) are known to be efficient sorbents for the removal of Cs from aqueous solutions. But the powdery precipitate of HCF is unsuitable for use in columns. To make it amenable to column application, it has been coated on polyacrylic fibres by in situ precipitation. In batch and column experiments, the fibres coated with Cupric ferric hexacyanoferrate provided good removal of¹³⁷Cs from radioactive effluents. Leaching of Cs from the fibres was found to be only 14% in demineralised water medium. The Cs-loaded fibres could easily be incinerated to a smaller volume for further conditioning.     

Biohydrogen Production from Cheese Whey Wastewater in a Two-Step Anaerobic Process

Cheese whey-based biohydrogen production was seen in batch experiments via dark fermentation by free and immobilized Enterobacter aerogenes MTCC 2822 followed by photofermentation of VFAs (mainly acetic and butyric acid) in the spent medium by Rhodopseudomonas BHU 01 strain. E. aerogenes free cells grown on cheese whey diluted to 10 g lactose/L, had maximum lactose consumption (～79%), high production of acetic acid (1,900 mg/L), butyric acid (537.2 mg/L) and H(2) yield (2.04 mol/mol lactose; rate,1.09 mmol/L/h). The immobilized cells improved lactose consumption (84%), production of acetic acid (2,100 mg/L), butyric acid (718 mg/L) and also H(2) yield (3.50 mol/mol lactose; rate, 1.91 mmol/L/h). E. aerogenes spent medium (10 g lactose/L) when subjected to photofermentation by free Rhodopseudomonas BHU 01 cells, the H(2) yield reached 1.63 mol/mol acetic acid (rate, 0.49 mmol/L/h). By contrast, immobilized Rhodopseudomonas cells improved H(2) yield to 2.69 mol/mol acetic acid (rate, 1.87 mmol/L/h). The cumulative H(2) yield for free and immobilized bacterial cells was 3.40 and 5.88 mol/mol lactose, respectively. Bacterial cells entrapped in alginate, had a sluggish start of H(2) production but outperformed the free cells subsequently. Also, the concomitant COD reduction for free cells (29.5%) could be raised to 36.08% by immobilized cells. The data suggest that two-step fermentative H(2) production from cheese whey involving immobilized bacterial cells, offers greater substrate to- hydrogen conversion efficiency, and the effective removal of organic load from the wastewater in the long-term.     

Comparison of Alcoholic Fermentation Performance of the Free and Immobilized Yeast on Water Hyacinth Stem Pieces in Medium with Different Glucose Contents

Ethanol fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells was performed in medium with different glucose concentrations. As the glucose content augmented from 200 to 250 g/L, the growth of the immobilized cells did not change while that of the free cells was reduced. At higher glucose concentration (300, 350, and 400 g/L), the cell proliferation significantly decreased and the residual sugar level sharply augmented for both the immobilized and free yeast. The specific growth rate of the immobilized cells was 27–65 % higher than that of the free cells, and the final ethanol concentration in the immobilized yeast cultures was 9.7–18.5 % higher than that in the free yeast cultures. However, the immobilized yeast demonstrated similar or slightly lower ethanol yield in comparison with the free yeast. High fermentation rate of the immobilized yeast was associated with low unsaturation degree of fatty acids in cellular membrane. Adsorption of S. cerevisiae cells on water hyacinth stem pieces in the nutritional medium decreased the unsaturation degree of membrane lipid and the immobilized yeast always exhibited lower unsaturation degree of membrane lipid than the free yeast in ethanol fermentation.     

Characterization and performance of immobilized amylase and cellulase

The performance of cellulase and amylase immobilized on siliceous supports was investigated. Enzyme uptake onto the support depended on the enzyme source and immobilization conditions. For amylase, the uptake ranged between 20 and 60%, and for cellulase, 7–10%. Immobilized amylase performance was assessed by batch kinetics in 100–300 g/L of corn flour at 65°C. Depending on the substrate and enzyme loading, between 40 and 60% starch conversion was obtained. Immobilized amylase was more stable than soluble amylase. Enzyme samples were preincubated in a water bath at various temperatures, then tested for activity. At 105°C, soluble amylase lost ∼55% of its activity, compared with ∼30% loss for immobilized amylase. The performance of immobilized cellulase was evaluated from batch kinetics in 10 g/L of substrate (shredded wastepaper) at 55°C. Significant hydrolysis of the wastepaper was also observed, indicating that immobilization does not preclude access to and hydrolysis of insoluble cellulose.     

Hydrolysis of aromatic polyurethane in water under high pressure of CO2

We have demonstrated a hydrolysis reaction of polyurethane (PU) under high pressure of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in water. We employed the PU sample, poly(methylene bis‐(1,4‐phenylene)hexamethylene dicarbamate), denoted as M‐PU, which was synthesized from 4,4′‐diphenyl methane diisocyanate and 1,4‐butane diol (BD). The optimum hydrolysis reaction condition was 190 °C under CO₂ pressures over 4.1 MPa in water medium, and 93% hydrolysis of M‐PU was achieved. After the reaction, the water‐soluble parts were obtained, and isolated by column chromatography. The isolated products were 4,4′‐methylenedianiline (MDA) and 1,4‐butane diol (BD), which were components of repeating unit of M‐PU. In addition, the hydrolysis reaction gave no byproduct. This hydrolysis under high pressure of CO₂ with water is a reaction by which M‐PU is selectively hydrolyzed into MDA and BD by cleaving urethane linkage. Moreover, the resulting hydrolyzed products were easily obtained by evaporation of aqueous layer after the reaction, indicating an efficient chemical recycling of PU was achieved. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 2004–2010     

Development of continuous fermentation using immobilized yeast cells for wine cooler process development

The continuous wine fermentation process, which employs a newly designed tapered column type bioreactor and immobilized yeast cells (Montrachet 522), was studied and its fermentation performance was compared with batch and suspended cell continuous wine fermentation systems. It was found that a stable continuous culture fermentation process could be maintained for a period of 2–3 mo when the new bioreactor system packed with immobilized yeast cells was employed. The new bioreactor containing immobilized yeast cells performed significantly better than the suspended cell culture system or batch culture. The effluent wine from the continuous fermentor system contained 7.1% (v/v) ethanol and 0.18% (w/v) residual sugar at 0.01 h^-1 dilution rate. The new continuous bioreactor system also gave 17–34 times higher maximum ethanol productivity compared to the conventional batch wine fermentation. At a low dilution rate, 0.01^-1, as high as 92% sugar to ethanol yield was achieved. Based on the results obtained from this study, the possibility of developing a continuous wine cooler fermentation process was demonstrated. A two-stage continuous wine fermentation system may be designed and operated. The grape juice can be fed into the first-stage that is operated at about 0.2 h^-1 dilution rate and the effluent from the first-stage is fed into the second-stage continuous fermentor operated at about 0.01 h^-1 dilution rate. By doing so, a wine cooler can be produced continuously and efficiently, by employing the newly designed tapered column type bioreactor charged with the immobilized yeast cells.     

Dynamic arsenic removal on a MnO2-loaded resin

Previous batch studies on a polystyrene matrix loaded with manganese dioxide, synthesized from an anionic commercial resin in chloride form, have proven the efficiency of this sorbent in As(V) and As(III) removal. This solid is now tested with column experiments to predict its behavior in a treatment process. An artificial water, with a composition in major ions similar to that of granitic water, often contaminated with arsenic, was prepared. This artificial water was used to simulate arsenic removal processes under near-natural conditions and with a stable composition. Furthermore, the hydride generation AAS analytical method was optimized to measure low arsenic concentrations (1 to 20 microg/L).     

GC Analysis of Organic Acids and Phenols Using On-Line Methylation with Trimethylsulfonium Hydroxide and PTV Solvent Split Large Volume Injection

The combination of on-line methylation using trimethylsulfonium hydroxide with large volume injection of 100 μL was evaluated for the analysis of organic acids and phenols in water. Solvent split injection was applied with complete evaporation of the solvent before analytes were transferred onto the GC column. Despite complete solvent removal, losses were very low compared to conventional splitless injection even for volatile acidic compounds such as propionic acid and phenol. This is explained by intermediate formation of low volatility trimethylsulfonium salts of the analytes which were held in the injector for long evaporation times of up to 10 min, if the evaporation temperature was as low as 10°C. Using a simple liquid/liquid extraction procedure, volatile fatty acids, dicarboxylic acids, benzoic acids and phenols could be detected in 5 mL of water at concentrations of 0.04–0.1 μmol/L with GC/MS in full scan mode. Lactic, pyruvic, and also malonic acids could only be detected at higher levels because of their limited extractability from water as well as their poorer methylation yields. The method provides an easy way to sensitively detect acidic compounds of medium to high volatility in water. It was applied for screening of organic acids and phenols in batch cultures of anaerobic bacteria of which one example is shown.     

Partially carboxymethylated cotton dust waste for sorption of textile wastewater coloured with the cationic dye Basic Blue 41 as a model: synthesis,regeneration and biodegradability

The removal of residual dyes in coloured textile wastewaters is mandatory, and a significant portion of the dyes used are cationic. Textile factories mainly process cotton yarns, and 8 % of this virgin feedstock is lost as cotton dust waste (CDW). Using factorial experimental design, this dust was derivatised with monochloroacetic acid (MCAA) to produce a partially carboxymethylated cellulose (CM^?-CDW) with NaOH, MCAA and isopropanol for the retention of Basic Blue 41 dye (BB 41) (column and batch), and biodegradability was investigated. The dye retention efficiency was examined with additional experiments varying the initial concentration, contact time and addition of salts. Heteronuclear multiple bonding correlation-nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed the covalent insertion of CM^? groups in the cellulosic fibres. The selected matrix provided a dye sorption of 58.33 (column) and 64.50 mg/g (batch). The Langmuir isotherm was a good fit to the sorption data. The efficiency of uptake of BB 41 was predominantly dictated by the concentration of alkali in the matrix synthesis. Biodegradability by cellulases was similar when using uncharged and dye-charged matrices. The latter were fully regenerated by washing in dilute acid. Retention was proportional to the initial dye concentration and the contact time required to reach equilibrium, which was longer for higher dye concentrations. The addition of 10 mmol/l NaCl decreased BB 41 retention by 50 %. Therefore, CM^?-CDW proved effective for the removal of the cationic dye BB 41 and thus represents an important alternative in the treatment of coloured textile effluents.     

Transformations of mercury species in the presence of Elbe river bacteria

The influence of Elbe river bacteria isolated from suspended particulate matter (SPM) on dynamic species transformation of mercury was investigated. Experiments were carried out in the presence of bacteria (batch cultures) and in sterile tapwater as a control. For the methylation of inorganic mercury ions by bacteria several cofactors are under discussion. In this work, methylcobalamin, methyl iodide and S-adenosylmethionine were tested as biogenic methyl donors and trimethyl-lead chloride, trimethyltin chloride and dimethylarsenic acid as abiotic methyl donors. Transmethylation reactions as examples of abiotic methyl transfers have higher effectiveness in the formation of methylmercury (CH₃Hg⁺) than methylation with biogenic compounds. This result was observed in batch cultures as well as in sterile water. SPM-bacteria inhibit methyl transfer to mercury(II) ions. This is not only due to passive adsorption processes of mercury(II) to bacterial cell walls; methylmercury is also decomposed very rapidly by SPM-bacteria and is immobilized as mercury(II) by the cells.     

Pre-analysis separation and concentration of actinides in groundwater using a magnetic filtration/sorption method I. Background and concept

A wide variety of iron oxides has been used for the removal of radioactive and toxic metals from aqueous solutions. We have utilized natural magnetite and iron ferrite (FeO·Fe₂O₃) in a batch mode to remove actinides (Pu and Am) from wastewater. Compared to the batch process, enhanced capacity for actinide removal was observed using supported magnetite in a column surrounded by an external magnetic field (0.3 tesla). The enhanced magnetite capacity in the column is primarily due to magnetic filtration of colloidal and submicron actinide particles along with some actinide complex and ion exchange sorption mechanisms. The removal of the magnetic field from around the column and use of a regenerating solution will easily remove the actinides loaded on the magnetite. The magnetic field-enhanced column process is under development for a variety of applications. This paper will review previous work on using ferrites for water treatment and discuss the potential for using the magnetic field-enhanced column process as a pre-analysis separation and concentration method for actinides in groundwater.     

Manganese Biosorption from Aqueous Solution by Penicillium camemberti Biomass in the Batch and Fix Bed Reactors: A Kinetic Study

Biosorption of manganese(II) using suspended and immobilized cells of fungal Penicillium camemberti (biomass) and nano-P. camemberti (nano-biomass) was studied by evaluating the physicochemical parameters of the solution such as initial manganese ion concentration, pH, temperature, dosage, and contact time in both batch system and fixed bed column. The maximum biosorption obtained from the batch process was 91.54 and 71.08 % for nano-biomass and biomass in initial concentration of 5 ppm, respectively. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and BET isotherms isotherm models were used in the equilibrium modeling. The correlation coefficient of more than 0.90 turned out that the adsorption process of Mn(II) on biomass and nano-biomass were in accordance with both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The sorption process followed a second-order rate kinetics indicating the process to be diffusion controlled. The results also demonstrate that an intra-particle diffusion mechanism plays a significant role in the sorption process. The structure of P. camemberti was characterized by FT-IR spectrums.     

Synthesis and metal ion uptake studies of chelating resins derived from formaldehyde-furfuraldehyde condensed phenolic Schiff bases of 4,4'-diaminodiphenylether and o-hydroxyacetophenone

Two new chelating resins (o-HAP-DDE-HCHO and o-HAP-DDE-FFD), having multiple functional groups are synthesised by condensing the Schiff base of o-hydroxyacetophenone-4,4′-diaminodiphenylether (o-HAP-DDE) with formaldehyde and furfuraldehyde, respectively. The extent of loading of metal ions Cu(II) and Ni(II) was studied in both competitive and non-competitive conditions varying the time of contact, metal ion concentration and the pH of the reaction medium. Both the resins are able to preferentially remove Cu(II) from the mixture of Cu(II) and Ni(II) at a pH 5.89 in the batch operation, maximum % uptake being 76.8 and 84.1, respectively, for o-HAP-DDE-HCHO and o-HAP-DDE-FFD. The furfuraldehyde condensed resin was found to be more effective in removing Cu(II) ions than the formaldehyde condensed resins in batch technique. The resins exhibited little affinity for alkali and alkaline earth metal ions. Further, the furfuraldehyde condensed resin was utilised in column operation for removing Cu(II) ions. Elution study with HCl (>1.0 mol l⁻¹) resulted in removal of nearly 40–50% of loaded Cu(II) from the resin column.