Phenol degradation in a packed bed reactor by immobilized cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 4997

Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 4997 capable of degrading phenol was isolated and its immobilization potential in calcium alginate, polyurethane foam, k-carrageenan, polyacrylamid, agarose and hen egg white was investigated. All the immobilized matrices showed faster degradation than free cells in a packed bed reactor. Comparatively polyurethane foam immobilized cells retained 100% phenol degradation recorded up to150 mL/h flow rate followed by 50 mL/h flow rate from alginate and k-carrageenan, respectively. Furthermore, polyurethane foam immobilized cells capable of degrading phenol up to the concentration of 1500 mg/L with in 750 min. Polyurethane foam immobilized non-regenerated and regenerated cells were tested for their phenol degradability up to 150 days. Non-regenerated cells showed 100% efficiency of phenol degradation up to 90 days, while regenerated cells showed significant100% efficiency up to 135 days.