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Biocatalytic coatings for air pollution control: A proof of concept study on VOC biodegradation
Author(s) -
Estrada José M.,
Bernal Oscar I.,
Flickinger Michael C.,
Muñoz Raúl,
Deshusses Marc A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.25353
Subject(s) - biodegradation , pollutant , toluene , pollution , degradation (telecommunications) , biofilm , nanoporous , ozone , environmental chemistry , chemistry , chemical engineering , pulp and paper industry , materials science , organic chemistry , bacteria , biology , genetics , telecommunications , ecology , computer science , engineering
Although biofilm‐based biotechnologies exhibit a large potential as solutions for off‐gas treatment, the high water content of biofilms often causes pollutant mass transfer limitations, which ultimately limit their widespread application. The present study reports on the proof of concept of the applicability of bioactive latex coatings for air pollution control. Toluene vapors served as a model volatile organic compound (VOC). The results showed that Pseudomonas putida F1 cells could be successfully entrapped in nanoporous latex coatings while preserving their toluene degradation activity. Bioactive latex coatings exhibited toluene specific biodegradation rates 10 times higher than agarose‐based biofilms, because the thin coatings were less subject to diffusional mass transfer limitations. Drying and pollutant starvation were identified as key factors inducing a gradual deterioration of the biodegradation capacity in these innovative coatings. This study constitutes the first application of bioactive latex coatings for VOC abatement. These coatings could become promising means for air pollution control. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 263–271. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.