Sorption isotherms and kinetics in the primary biodegradation of anionic surfactants by immobilized bacteria: II. Comamonas terrigena N3H

Comamonas terrigena N3H was immobilized by covalent linking on silanized inorganic supports and by physical entrapment of cells within calcium alginate beads and reticulated polyurethane foam. Both entrapped cells were efficient for the primary biodegradation of the anionic surfactants dihexyl sulphosuccinate (DHSS) and dioctyl sulphosuccinate (DOSS), furthermore, exhibiting, in the case of polyurethane immobilized cells, a positive fractionating effect of the substrate by adsorption onto the polymer matrix. The overall kinetics for the surfactant removal from water were well-fitted to a biphasic process, a rapid passive sorption step of the surfactant onto the cell-loaded support and the intrinsic primary biodegradation slower step, both acting synergically. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.