Abstract
Smart polymers are a valuable platform to protect and control the activity of biological agents over a wide range of conditions, such as low pH, by proper encapsulation. Such conditions are present in olive oil mill wastewater with phenol as one of the most problematic constituents. We show that elastic and pH-responsive diblock copolymer fibers are a suitable carrier for Corynebacterium glutamicum, i.e., bacteria which are known for their ability to degrade phenol. Free C. glutamicum does not survive low pH conditions and fails to degrade phenol at low pH conditions. Our tea-bag like biohybrid system, where the pH-responsive diblock copolymer acts as a protecting outer shell for the embedded bacteria, allows phenol degradation even at low pH. Utilizing a two-step encapsulation process, planktonic cells were first encapsulated in poly(vinyl alcohol) to protect the bacteria against the organic solvents used in the second step employing coaxial electrospinning.
Highlights
Water is one of the most important natural resources on our planet
We show that elastic and pH-responsive diblock copolymer fibers are a suitable carrier for Corynebacterium glutamicum, i.e., bacteria which are known for their ability to degrade phenol
Utilizing a two-step encapsulation process, planktonic cells were first encapsulated in poly(vinyl alcohol) to protect the bacteria against the organic solvents used in the second step employing coaxial electrospinning
Summary
Water is one of the most important natural resources on our planet. there have been increasing efforts to improve the treatment of wastewater, which is generated in large amounts by different industries, including the olive oil industry.[1−4] In each case toxic organic compounds, e.g., phenol, polyphenols, and further derivatives, are present in the olive oil mill wastewater (OMW).[5−7] The application of chemical methods to approach the treatment of OMW are associated with high costs and further addition of toxic compounds.[2,8] biological wastewater treatment has been proposed as an environmentally compatible and cost-effective alternative in view of the significant disadvantages of chemical treatments. Preparation of pH-Responsive Biohybrid Carrier Materials for Phenol Degradation via Coaxial Electrospinning of Bacteria Loaded PVA Particles (Core) and a pH-Responsive PB-b-P2VP Diblock Copolymer (Shell), Followed by UV Cross-. To study the pH-responsive behavior of the diblock copolymer, we prepared thin films by spin-casting from THF solution onto a silicon wafer with later cross-linking as a model system, since quantification of the swelling/deswelling behavior of electrospun fibers was difficult. The PB-b-P2VP diblock copolymer shell provides pH-responsiveness for further protection of the bacteria inside the PVA particles as well as mechanical stability in solution through subsequent cross-linking of the PB phase.
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