S Abdollahpour - National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), P.O.BOX ۱۴۱۵۵-۶۳۴۳, Tehran, Iran - Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
M Mollaei - National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), P.O.BOX ۱۴۱۵۵-۶۳۴۳, Tehran, Iran
S Atashgahi - National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), P.O.BOX ۱۴۱۵۵-۶۳۴۳, Tehran, Iran
A Sahebghadam Lotfi - Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

In this investigation, single and hybrid immobilization techniques for whole cells of Pseudomonas sp. SA01 were employed to enhance phenol degradation rate. The single immobilization was achieved using alginate (2-4%) and pectin (3-5%) together with the combined immobilization systems which consisted of alginate-chitosan-alginate (ACA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-alginate capsules. The freely suspended cellsof Pseudomonas sp. SA01 was able to degrade phenol in concentrations up to 1000 mg/L 84 h. The complete degradation of the same concentration of phenol by cells entrapped in alginate (3%), in hybrid immobilization system alginate-chitosan-alginate (ACA), and in PVA-alginate encapsulated cells were achieved as low as 30 h. However, the cells immobilized in pectin (5 %) could degrade the same concentration of phenol at 35 and 40 h respectively. The cell loading capacity is increased in PVA-alginate hybrid capsules owing to the reduction of cell leakage from the beads, resulted in higher activity of immobilized cells compared with the single immobilization method.

Immobilization, Encapsulation, Alginate, Polyvinyl alcohol, Pectin