Phenol Removal by Tyrosinase, Immobilized in Modified Poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone, with Inorganic Coagulants Application

Abstract

Enzymatic removal of phenol from aqueous solution was undertaken by the combined use of partially purified mushroom tyrosinase, immobilized in modified poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone, and inorganic coagulants (potassium, ammonium and ferric ammonium alum). Under optimum conditions (pH=6.5, T=25 °C, time of transformation – 1h) immobilized tyrosinase catalyzed the complete oxidation of phenol in batch reactor during 8 cycles, and the total number of cycles with a high degree of phenol transformation reaches 15. Inorganic coagulants eliminate colored products of phenol oxidation in a broad range of initial pollutant concentrations (0.5-10 mmol/dm3). The removal rates in all cases exceeded 97%