Degradation of dimethyl-sulfoxide-containing wastewater using airlift bioreactor by polyvinyl-alcohol-immobilized cell beads

Airlift bioreactor containing polyvinyl-alcohol-immobilized cell beads was investigated for its capability of biodegradation of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in term of sludge characteristics including the strategy of acclimation with sucrose and the protection of microorganism from poisoning of DMSO by PVA cell beads. Media condition with sucrose at 50 mg L−1 was beneficial to the biodegradation of DMSO in the fresh PVA entrapped-sludge, but became insignificant in the acclimated one as for tolerance of DMSO toxicity. The removal efficiency of DMSO had the highest rate at 1.42-kg DMSO per kilogram of suspended solid per day after series acclimation batches in the oxygen-enriched airlift bioreactor treated with the 1187.4 mg L−1 of DMSO. Microbial consortium was required for the complete biodegradation of DMSO without any dimethyl sulfide produced. Pseudomonas sp. W1, excreting extracellular monooxygenase identified by indole, was isolated to be one of the most effective DMSO-degrading microorganism in our airlift bioreactor.

Research highlights
► DMSO was degraded in an airlift bioreactor with PVA-immobilized cell beads.
► Fifty-ppm sucrose in media was beneficial to DMSO biodegradation in fresh PVA beads.
► Additional carbon supply became insignificant in the acclimated PVA beads.
► Much DMSO was removed at the rate of 1.42 g g-1-SS d-1 after series of acclimation.
► Pseudomonas sp. W1 excreting monooxygenase was identified by indole color change.