title: Advanced enzymatic elimination of phenolic contaminants in wastewater: a nano approach at field scale.
abstract: The removal of recalcitrant chemicals in wastewater treatment systems is an increasingly relevant issue in industrialized countries. The elimination of persistent xenobiotics such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) emitted by municipal and industrial sewage treatment plants remains an unsolved challenge. The existing efficacious physico-chemical methods, such as advanced oxidation processes, are resource-intensive technologies. In this work, we investigated the possibility to remove phenolic EDCs [i.e., bisphenol A (BPA)] by means of a less energy and chemical consuming technology. To that end, cheap and resistant oxidative enzymes, i.e., laccases, were immobilized onto silica nanoparticles. The resulting nanobiocatalyst produced at kilogram scale was demonstrated to possess a broad substrate spectrum regarding the degradation of recalcitrant pollutants. This nanobiocatalyst was applied in a membrane reactor at technical scale for tertiary wastewater treatment. The system efficiently removed BPA and the results of long-term field tests illustrated the potential of fumed silica nanoparticles/laccase composites for advanced biological wastewater treatment.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ecopreneurship, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, Muttenz, CH-4132, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christoph A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gasser
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Svojitka
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wintgens
authors.forename: Erik M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ammann
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shahgaldian
authors.forename: Philippe F-X
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Corvini
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hommes
mesh_terms: D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized / Q000378:metabolism*; D042845:Laccase / Q000378:metabolism; D053758:Nanoparticles; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized; D042845:Laccase; D010636:Phenols; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical