Wastewater Treatment Using Microorganisms Entrapped in Sodium Alginate and Pullulan Immobilization Matrix
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Abstract:
The aim of this study was to develop immobilized systems for wastewater treatment by immobilizing microorganisms in mixed matrices. Two bioactive polysaccharides, sodium alginate (SA) and pullulan (Pu), were used to immobilize microorganisms for wastewater treatment. The optimum mechanical strength, elasticity, and diffusion rate of the immobilized beads were obtained upon addition of 1% Pu polysaccharides and 7% SA. Three base strains of bacteria (which produce amylase, protease, and cellulose) were immobilized in SA or Pu matrices for wastewater treatment. The seeding quantity for microbial immobilization was optimized. A seeding quantity of 200 mL during the preparation of immobilized beads helped achieve efficient wastewater treatment. The total nitrogen (TN) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates observed during the end of a seven-day treatment period were 65.94% and 77.88%, respectively. Three types of immobilized beads were compounded for wastewater treatment. The immobilized beads 11008, 11009, and 10004 were added at concentrations of 0.75%, 0.50%, and 0.50% of the total volume of wastewater, respectively, and wastewater was treated for seven days continuously; the TN and COD removal rates under these conditions were observed to be up to 90.55% and 91.45%, respectively.
