An internal airlift loop bioreactor with Burkholderia pickttii immobilized onto ceramic honeycomb support for degradation of quinoline

Abstract

A novel kind of bioreactor with a ceramic honeycomb support installed in a draught tube was developed and the ceramic honeycomb support could be used for immobilization of microbial cells. A strain of bacterium was isolated from activated sludge and identified as Burkholderia pickttii for degradation of quinoline and could grow on quinoline which served as a sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy. Quinoline was degraded by the bioreactor in both batch and continuous flow operations when they were immobilized onto the ceramic honeycomb support. Experimental results indicated that quinoline could be degraded effectively by B. pickttii immobilized onto the ceramic support. Immobilized B. pickttii exhibited better stability in its metabolism and proliferation and degradation of quinoline in continuous flow operation conditions. More than 95% of quinoline could be removed for 4 h of hydraulic retention time (HRT). Quinoline was degraded through 2-hydroxy quinoline according to the analysis of gas chromatography–mass spectrum (GC–MS).