Immobilization of microorganisms or enzymes in polyvinyl alcohol beads

Abstract

Microorganisms or enzymes are immobilized by using polyvinyl alcohol to form beads containing a microorganism or an enzyme. An aqueous solution of about 10 to about 20 wt % polyvinyl alcohol containing a microorganism or an enzyme is reacted with an aqueous solution of about 3 wt % to saturated boric acid for a period of about 10 minutes to about two hours to form gelled spherical beads. The beads are then hardened by treatment with an aqueous solution of about 3 to about 20 wt % phosphoric acid or phosphate for at least 30 minutes. Preferably, the polyvinyl alcohol has a degree of polymerization of about 1000 to about 3000 and a degree of saponification of about 70 to about 99 mol %. In an alternative embodiment, the boric acid solution can contain the phosphoric acid or phosphate. The microorganism can be an acclimatized activated sludge microorganism from agricultural or industrial waste water. The beads can be used for removing inorganic nitrogen and organic carbon in waste water treatment or in processes for making biochemical products.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.