Abstract
Lactobacillus delbrueckii cells were immobilized in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel beads by using gelling reaction with PVA-boric acid-phosphate. The physical/chemical and fermentation stabilities of the immobilized cells were studied for the application of immobilized microorganism to waste water treatment. In the experiment of preparation of cell immobilized PVA beads, spherical and strong gel beads were formed at PVA concentration, 12wt%, and boric acid concentration, 5wt%. The gel beads had porous structure like spongy pore, and the cells were confirmed on the surface and the inside of the gel beads. The operational stability of the immobilized cell system was repeatedly studied in a batch fermentation. The system successfully operated for the 20 time repeated fermentations, and the gel beads were not damaged during all the runs.
