Aluminosilicates as Carriers of Phosphate-accumulating Bacteria

Jasna Hrenovic^a*, Darko Tibljas^b and Lavoslav Sekovanic^c
a University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Division of Biology, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
^b University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Division of Geology, Horvatovac bb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
^c University of Zagreb, Geotechnical Faculty, Hallerova aleja 7, 42000 Varazdin, Croatia
  E-mail: jasnah@biol.pmf.hr

Abstract
Five different aluminosilicate materials: natural altered tuff, synthetic mordenite, ammonium-exchanged mordenite, synthetic perlite and zeolite A were used for the immobilisation of metabolically active P-accumulating bacteria A. junii. After 24 h of bacterial cultivation in reactors containing different carriers, one part of the total cell population was immobilised onto the carriers by means of adsorptive growth while the other part remained as free cells in the supernatant. Taking in the consideration the number of immobilised viable cells and reactor performance, perlite of the particle size 0.1 to 1.0 mm was classified as the most suitable carrier of P-accumulating bacteria A. junii among the tested aluminosilicate materials.

Keywords: Aluminosilicate, bacteria, immobilisation, phosphate, wastewater.