Use of coimmobilized biological systems to degrade toxic organic compounds.

The concept of coimmobilizing cell mass (and/or enzyme) and adsorbent in a hydrogel matrix for biodegradation of toxic organic chemicals was introduced. Under defined experimental conditions, the coimmobilized system using activated carbon and Phanerochaete chrysosporium was compared with nonimmobilized systems for the degradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP). It was demonstrated that the coimmobilized system degraded PCP more effectively than the nonimmobilized system. A solid substrate included in the coimmobilized system could support the biodegradation. Isolation of the degrading agents from a model interrupting microorganism by the coimmobilized capsule membrane reduced the interference on the biodegradation. In simulated contaminated soil extract and sand, the coimmobilized system also exhibited higher degradative ability and stability than the nonimmobilized systems.