Abstract
This study was aimed to enhance polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon(PAHS) biodegradation rate by repeated-batch treatment using immobilized cells of Phanerochaete chrysosporium. In the repeated-batch operations with 30 mg/L of pyrene the maximum degradation rate was 6.58 mg/L day. As the number of batches increased the concentration of immobilized cells significantly decreased and the degradation rate and specific acitivity gradually increased to a maximum value and then decreased. To have PAH degradation activity and cell mass recovered one batch of cultivation using the growth medium instead of the PAH-degrading medium was carried in the course of repeated-batch operations. This maximum degradation rates of pyrene and anthracene were 4.29 and 4.46 mg/L$.$day respectively. Overall the rate of PAH degradation could be enhanced 2.5-30 folds by using immobilized cells compared to the case of using suspended cells.