Effect of Cell-to-matrix Ratio in Polyvinyl Alcohol Immobilized Pure and Mixed Cultures on Atrazine Degradation

Atrazine biodegradation by immobilized pure and mixed cultures was examined. A pure atrazine-degrading culture, Agrobacterium radiobacter J14a (J14a), and a mixed culture (MC), isolated from an atrazine-contaminated crop field, were immobilized using phosphorylated-polyvinyl alcohol (PPVA). An existing cell immobilization procedure was modified to enhance PPVA matrix stability. The results showed that the matrices remained mechanically and chemically stable after shaking with glass beads over 15 days under various salt solutions and pH values. The immobilization process had a slight effect on cell viability. With the aid of scanning electron microscopy, a suitable microstructure of PPVA matrices for cell entrapment was observed. There were two porous layers of spherical gel matrices, the outside having an encapsulation property and the inside containing numerous pores for bacteria to occupy. J14a and MC were immobilized at three cell-to-matrix ratios of 3.5, 6.7, and 20 mg dry cells/mL matrix. The atrazine biodegradation tests were conducted in an aerobic batch system, which was inoculated with cells at 2,000 mg/L. The tests were also conducted using free (non-immobilized) J14a and MC for comparative purpose. The cell-to-matrix ratio of 3.5 mg/mL provided the highest atrazine removal efficiency of 40–50% in 120 h for both J14a and MC. The free cell systems, for both cultures, presented much lower atrazine removal efficiencies compared to the immobilized cell systems at the same level of inoculation.     

Biodegradability of Poly (lactic acid), Preparation and Characterization of PLA/Gum Arabic Blends

In this study, the biodegradation of PLA films using microorganisms from Lake Bogoria (Kenya) were investigated. The biodegradation tests done using certain strains of thermophilic bacteria showed faster biodegradation rates and demonstrated temperature dependency. The biodegradation of the PLA films was studied using Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) and light microscopy. The biodegradation of PLA was demonstrated by decrease in molecular weight. The preparation and characterization of PLA/Gum Arabic blends were also investigated using DSC, TGA, TMA and NMR. In summary, the results obtained in this research show that PLA films undergo fast biodegradation using thermophiles isolated from Lake Bogoria. The PLA/GA blends studies show it is possible to prepare films of varying hydrophobic–hydrophilic properties for various applications.     

Monitoring aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation by functional marker genes

The development of biological treatment technologies for contaminated environments requires tools for obtaining direct information about the biodegradation of specific contaminants. The potential of functional gene array analysis to monitor changes in the amount of functional marker genes as indicators of contaminant biodegradation was investigated. A prototype functional gene array was developed for targeting key functions in the biodegradation of naphthalene, toluene and xylenes. Internal standard probe based normalization was introduced to facilitate comparison across multiple samples. Coupled with one-colour hybridization, the signal normalization improved the consistency among replicate hybridizations resulting in better discrimination for the differences in the amount of target DNA. During the naphthalene biodegradation in a PAH-contaminated soil slurry microcosm, the normalized hybridization signals in naphthalene catabolic gene probes were in good agreement with the amount of naphthalene-degradation genes and the production of 14CO2. Gene arrays provide efficient means for monitoring of contaminant biodegradation in the environment.     

Physical state and biodegradation behavior of starch-polycaprolactone systems

The biodegradation behavior of insoluble crystalline polymers depends on both chemical structure and physical state. The physical state is strongly affected by the molding conditions; moreover the presence of natural hydrophylic substances such as starch can further influence the biodegradation process. This paper examines the biotic and abiotic degradation of thick injection-molded parts, made of pure poly--caprolactone (PCL) at different molecular weights, and of PCL in the presence of starch in the case of a commercial grade of Mater-Bi, produced by Novamont. The abiotic degradation was studied at 25 and 50°C, whereas the biotic degradation was followed in conditions of SCAS (semicontinuous activated sludges) at 25 and 50°C, soil burial, and controlled composting. The physical-chemical modifications provoked at the surface and in the bulk of the samples by the different types of degradation were determined by differential scanning calorimetry, viscometric and gravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic mechanical analysis. The mechanical modifications induced by the different environments were followed by tensile tests. It was demonstrated that the presence of starch significantly increases the apparent biodegradation rate of PCL, making even thick parts of ZI01U compatible with the composting process.Paper presented at the Bio/Environmentally Degradable Polymer Society—Third National Meeting, June 6–8, 1994, Boston, Massachusetts.     

生化—光催化氧化工艺处理印染废水中污泥活性研究

从生物处理单元中污泥活性的角度，研究了生物氧化－光催化氧化过程中各相关因素的影响。采用BOD测定仪连续测定了驯化前后污泥耗氧曲线，采用第一段斜率表征污泥呼吸活性。并通过电镜观察驯化过程生物相的状况。实验结果表明，微生物呼吸活性的变化与微观生物相的变化一致，并与处理效果具有良好的相关性。     

白腐真菌生物降解TNT装药废水的研究

本文利用自行培养驯化的白腐真菌，对实际ＴＮＴ装药废水进行了好氧生物降解实验。结果表明，经过五天时间的降解，废水中所含的主要成分ＴＮＴ接近完全降解，效果非常显著。对实验所获得时间序列进行动力学研究，结果证明了白腐真菌降解ＴＮＴ的反应为准一级动力学反应     

高效优势混合菌降解废水中的氯代芳香族化合物

从诉活性污泥中筛选、培育得到优势菌，经组合后，选取具有高效降解芳香族化合物的优势混合菌即假单胞菌和诺卡氏菌的组合菌，应用于造纸漂白废水的氯代芳香族化合物的降解实验，经ＥＰＡ６２５法检测结果表明，放心水中检出的２６种芳香族化合物的９８ｈ内，除五氯酚外可以降解绝大部分的有机化合物（低下检测限）、与白腐菌３０ｄ的降解对比实验表明，混合菌的降解能力要优于白腐菌。     

生物降解三氯乙烯的研究及其进展

三氯乙烯（ＴＣＥ）的大规模使用，已使其成为地表水、地下水中分布最广泛的污染物之一。ＴＣＥ在环境中具有持久性，对生物的毒作用很强并具有致癌性，引起各国的普遍重视。该文综述了近年来生物降解转化ＴＣＥ的研究及其进展，由于ＴＣＥ生物降解过程中共代谢物的竞争性抑制和ＴＣＥ代谢毒性，使ＴＣＥ的降解受到很大限制，但通过创造和保持适当的环境条件，可ＴＣＥ降解取得很好的效果。     

阴离子表面活性剂生物降解动力学研究

采用OECD筛选试验法,对LAS的生物降解规律进行了试验,并通过各影响因素观察LAS在微生物作用下的生物降解过程,揭示其在水环境中的降解规律。研究结果表明,目前将遍使用的LAS的生物降解率可达到95％以上;温度和LAS初始浓度对LAS降解速度有较大的影响。根据实验结果得到LAS降解动力学方程式为:-dc/dt=k_0exp(-57000/RT),k_0=2.604×10~9+5.910×10~8CL_0;实验所建立的动力学模型,对研究实际河流的LAS降解规律具有普遍的适用性。     

白腐真菌降解经微电解预处理二硝基重氮酚废水的研究

利用自行培养、驯化的白腐真菌,对经过微电解预处理的二硝基重氮酚(DDNP)废水进行了生物降解试验.结果表明,经过微电解预处理后的DDNP废水(含CODCr467 mg/L)经生化处理108 h后,出水中CODCr在131 mg/L左右,达到国家二级排放标准;其中的苯胺类、硝基类的去除率达到99.9%以上,达到国家一级排放标准.对试验所获得的时间序列进行动力学研究结果证明,白腐真菌降解经微电解预处理后的DDNP废水的反应为准一级动力学反应.