Potential applications of immobilized bitter gourd ( Momordica charantia) peroxidase in the removal of phenols from polluted water

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 65; no. 7; pp. 1228 - 1235
• Main Authors: Akhtar, Suhail, Husain, Qayyum
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: 2,4-dichlorophenol; Applied sciences; Bioaffinity support; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Biotechnology; Bitter gourd; Carbon - analysis; DEAE-Cellulose - chemistry; Detoxification; detoxification (processing); Environment and pollution; enzymatic treatment; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General purification processes; Hydrogen Peroxide - chemistry; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Immobilization; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Momordica charantia; Momordica charantia - enzymology; Peroxidase; Peroxidases - chemistry; Phenol removal; Phenols - chemistry; Phenols - isolation & purification; phytoremediation; Plant Proteins - chemistry; Pollution; Remediation; Stabilization; Temperature; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Wastewater; wastewater treatment; Wastewaters; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - isolation & purification; water pollution; Water Purification - methods; Water treatment and pollution; Stabilization; Detoxification; Immobilization; Bitter gourd; Peroxidase; Remediation; Wastewater; Bioaffinity support; Phenol removal; Momordica charantia; Biological purification; Enzymatic activity; Decontamination; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Bioremediation; Entrapped microorganism; Organic compounds; Biodegradation; Enzyme; Cucurbitaceae; Peroxidases; Phenols; Soluble compound; Spermatophyta; Water pollution; Oxidoreductases; Waste water purification
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.04.049

The potential applications of immobilized bitter gourd peroxidase in the treatment of model wastewater contaminated with phenols have been investigated. The synthetic water was treated with soluble and immobilized enzyme preparations under various experimental conditions. Maximum removal of phenols was found in the buffers of pH values 5.0–6.0 and at 40
°C in the presence of 0.75
mM H
2O
2. Fourteen different phenols were independently treated with soluble and immobilized bitter gourd peroxidase in the buffer of pH 5.6 at 37
°C. Chlorinated phenols and native phenol were significantly removed while other substituted phenols were marginally removed by the treatment. Phloroglucinol and pyrogallol were recalcitrant to the action of bitter gourd peroxidase. Immobilized bitter gourd peroxidase preparation was capable of removing remarkably high percentage of phenols from the phenolic mixtures. Significantly higher level of total organic carbon was removed from the model wastewater containing individual phenol or complex mixture of phenols by immobilized bitter gourd peroxidase as compared to the soluble enzyme. 2,4-dichlorophenol and a phenolic mixture were also treated in a stirred batch reactor with fixed quantity of enzyme for longer duration. The soluble bitter gourd peroxidase ceased to function after 3
h while the immobilized enzyme was active even after 6
h of incubation with phenolic solutions.