Abstract
Recently it was reported that potato pulp, a side product of starch industry, is potentially applicable for the decontamination of phenol-polluted wastewater, due to its high peroxidase content. Regarding the toxicity and the persistence in the environment, the phenol is surpassed by its chlorinated derivatives, such as 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP). In this study we demonstrated that potato pulp may be used for the decontamination of 2,4-DCP solutions in a peroxidase-catalyzed reaction. Due to its peroxidase activity, potato pulp displayed a very high potential for 2,4-DCP removal, with the reaction’s efficiency reaching 98% under optimal conditions. The peroxidase activity towards 2,4-DCP was maintained over a wide temperature and pH range, and characterized by relatively low H2O2 demand, with respect to other peroxidase-based systems of 2,4-DCP removal. The toxicity of the post-reaction solutions was compared to the toxicity of the unreacted 2,4-DCP solutions using phytotest and the MTT test. The results of both tests proved that the 2,4-DCP toxicity was effectively alleviated if the pollutant was depleted from solution in the course of the incubation with potato pulp and H2O2.
Highlights
In an industrialized environment, a pressing matter of concern is the growing pollution
The efficiencies in 2,4-DCP removal, over the concentration range tested, were comparable, notwithstanding the statistical significance of differences between certain concentration variants (Fig. 1a, b). These results show that using potato pulp enables 2,4-DCP removal with the similar or higher efficiency with respect to other peroxidase-containing materials, Angelini et al [3], showed that tobacco hairy roots extracts eliminated 2,4-DCP at 61.3 μM solution with the maximal removal efficiency reaching 92%
When garlic roots were tested for their ability to detoxify 2,4-DCP, the maximal removal efficiency of 97% was observed for 613 μM 2,4-DCP [1]
Summary
A pressing matter of concern is the growing pollution. By the US EPA, phenol and some of its derivatives are classified as the priority pollutants, because of their toxicity in low doses, mutagenic, and teratogenic effects [1]. 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) is considered to be toxic and persistent in the environment, due to the presence of two halogenated atoms in the phenol ring [2]. Aside from being teratogenic and mutagenic, 2,4-DCP causes renal failure, pulmonary edema and anemia and is absorbed into human body [3]. Chlorophenols are abundant in the effluents and are released to the environment, for example, through the activity of pharmaceutical, metallurgic, and textile industry [4]
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