DYNAMICS OF ORGANIC MICROPOLLUTANT BIOSORPTION TO CYANOBACTERIA AND DETRITUS

Equilibrium and rate parameters of chlorobenzene biosorption to the cyanobacterium Anabaena and various types of algal detritus were measured using gas purge desorption experiments. Organic carbon normalized sorption coefficients (K-oc) and slopes of log K-oc - log K-ow plots for algae and detritus increased significantly with increasing C/N atomic ratios of the adsorbents. A statistical analysis showed that the desorption kinetics could be described best with a two-compartment model. The compartments were interpreted as a lipid pool in the surface of the cells and a similar pool deeper in the cell interior. The kinetic parameters measured were such that in most aquatic systems biosorption equilibrium can be assumed.