Packed-bed bioreactor-based evaluation of Paracoccus sp. APAP_BH8 potential for acetaminophen biodegradation

Area of Science:

• Environmental Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Water Treatment

Background:

• Acetaminophen (APAP) is a widely used pharmaceutical with significant environmental persistence.
• The indiscriminate use of APAP leads to its accumulation as a contaminant in water bodies.
• Developing sustainable methods for APAP removal from wastewater is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the biodegradation of acetaminophen (APAP) using Paracoccus sp. APAP_BH8.
• To optimize degradation parameters using response surface methodology.
• To evaluate the efficiency of a wood charcoal packed-bed bioreactor for APAP removal.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Paracoccus sp. APAP_BH8 for APAP biodegradation in a laboratory-scale bioreactor.
• Employed response surface methodology to optimize pH, inoculum size, co-substrate, and APAP concentration.
• Assessed bioreactor performance in both batch and continuous modes.

Main Results:

• Optimized conditions (pH 7.0, 0.3 inoculum, 15 mg L⁻¹ co-substrate, 350 mg L⁻¹ APAP) yielded favorable degradation.
• Batch mode studies showed 90.58% APAP degradation with specific kinetic parameters.
• Continuous mode achieved 48.08%-89.35% removal efficiency, with a maximum elimination capacity of 721.19 mg L⁻¹ h⁻¹.

Conclusions:

• Paracoccus sp. APAP_BH8 is a promising microorganism for APAP bioremediation.
• The wood charcoal packed-bed bioreactor demonstrates high efficiency in removing APAP from wastewater.
• This approach offers a sustainable and reliable strategy for treating pharmaceutical wastewater contaminated with APAP.