The role of nanoscale zerovalent iron particles in the biosorption and biodegradation of BDE-47 by Pseudomonas stutzeri under aerobic conditions

• Pseudomonas stutzier could be employed for bioremediation of BDE-47.
• Strain Ps can resist 0.5 g l−1 nZVI.
• nZVI can degrade BDE-47 via Fenton-like reaction under aerobic conditions.
• The effects of nZVI on the biosorption and biodegradation of BDE-47 by Ps were discussed.

This study investigated the effects of nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) particles on the biosorption and biodegradation of 2, 2, 4, 4-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) by Pseudomonas stutzier KS0013 (Ps) under aerobic conditions. nZVI (>0.5 g l−1) had an inhibitory effect on Ps growth, whereas less than 0.5 g l−1 nZVI produced a negligible influence on bacteria growth, especially with a prolonged incubation time. In the initial stage (<12 h), the total removal of BDE-47 was mainly attributed to adsorption and the Fenton-like reaction with nZVI, and nZVI impeded the accessibility of Ps to BDE-47 and weakened the total removal and biosorption of BDE-47 by Ps. However, with increasing incubation time, Ps adapted to the nZVI and played a predominant role in the total removal of BDE-47, with the result that the final total removal efficiency increased from 91 percent (without nZVI) to 95 percent. This result implied that nZVI could promote the total removal efficiency of BDE-47, but the enhancement in BDE-47 removal was limited. In addition, TEM and XPS analyses confirmed that nZVI particles had been integrated with Ps to achieve the total removal of BDE-47 via a Fenton-like reaction under aerobic conditions.