Host: The Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan
The removal of nonylphenol from aqueous solution was examined using a culture broth of Coprinus cinereus as a source of peroxidase. Coprinus cinereus IFO 30628 was used to produce peroxidase. The productivity of peroxidase was significantly improved by the addition of hydrogen peroxide or 5-aminolevulinic acid. Nonylphenol was effectively removed by a peroxidase-catalyzed reaction using the culture broth. The removal efficiency was optimal between pH 7-8, 25-40°C and at a molar ratio of H2O2 to nonylphenol of about 7.0. To remove 1 mg/L nonylphenol, 0.5 U/mL peroxidase was required at pH 7 and 25°C. The estrogenic activity of the nonylphenol solution, which was estimated using ELISA method, was below detection limit and did not increase by the peroxidase treatment. The removal mechanism of nonylphenol is probably different from that of phenol and bisphenol A. Phenol and bisphenol A were removed from solution mainly by precipitation due to the peroxidase-catalyzed polymerization. On the other hand, the precipitate was not observed during the removal reaction of nonylphenol. It may be removed mainly by degradation.
