Removal of Linear and Branched p-Alkylphenols from Aqueous Solution by Combined Use of melB Tyrosinase and Chitosan Beads

In this study, melB tyrosinase was applied for enzymatic removal of linear and branched p-alkylphenols from aqueous solutions. First, systematic studies were carried out to estimate the effects of the process parameters such as the temperature, pH value, and enzyme dose on quinone conversion of p-cresol as a model phenol compound. A variety of p-alkylphenols were removed from aqueous solutions through the tyrosinase-catalyzed quinone conversion and subsequent nonenzymatic adsorption of quinone derivatives on chitosan beads at pH 6.0 and 30 °C under the optimum conditions determined for p-cresol. The % removal values of 98–100 were obtained for p-n-alkylphenols. Branched p-alkylphenols with a weak estrogenic activity containing 4-tert-butylphenol and 4-tert-pentylphenol, which underwent no quinone conversion by commercially available mushroom tyrosinase in the absence of H₂O₂, were also effectively removed by further increasing either the melB tyrosinase concentration or the amount of added chitosan beads. The present technique is much effective in the fact that a series of reactions rapidly progress under mild conditions and the chitosan beads can be readily separated from the reaction medium after the enzymatic treatment.