Impact of hydrophilic polymers in organosilica matrices on structure, stability, and biocatalytic activity of immobilized methylotrophic yeast used as biofilter bed

Abstract

The impact of hydrophilic polymers in an organosilica matrix on the features and performance of immobilized methylotrophic yeast cells used as biocatalysts was investigated and described. Yeast cells were immobilized in a matrix made of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) by one-step sol-gel route of synthesis in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Organosilica shells were spontaneously built around cells as a result of yeast immobilization at a TEOS to MTES ratio of 85/15 vol% and hydrophilic polymer (PEG or PVA). As a structure-directing agent, PVA produces organosilica films. Stable high-performance biocatalysts active for one year, if stored at -18 °C, have been obtained by entrapment of methylotrophic yeast cells. A trickling biofilter with and without active aeration was designed using entrapped yeast cells to treat methanol polluted wastewater. A biofilter model with active aeration could halve methanol input thus demonstrating better performance compared to treatment without active aeration.

Keywords: Biocompatible ORMOSIL hydrogels; Biofilter; Immobilized cells; Methanol biodegradation; PEG; PVA.