Enhancement ofo-cresol removal using PAC and acclimated biomass immobilized in polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel beads

Abstract

The feasibility of using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel beads encapsulating powdered activated carbon (PAC) and biomass for the enhancement of o-cresol removal via simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation was investigated in this study. The optimum concentrations of PVA and PAC used to synthesize spherical PVA hydrogel beads with 3–4 mm diameter were found to be 7.5 and 0.5% (w/v), respectively. The results of kinetic studies showed that the rate constant of o-cresol removal for the initial o-cresol concentration range of 100–400 mg/L could be sustained when the immobilized biomass supplemented with PAC in hydrogel beads was used. However, the removal of o-cresol was inhibited for the initial o-cresol concentration above 150 mg/L when only immobilized biomass in the beads was used. Thus, the supplementation of PAC to the immobilized biomass in the beads could enhance the removal of o-cresol via simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation.