Immobilization of microalgae for biosorption and degradation of butyltin chlorides

Since the discovery of their biocidal properties in the 1950s, organotin compounds have found a large spectrum of industrial applications such as wood and textile preservatives, fungicides and pesticides, and antifouling paint on ships and fishing equipment. The fate and environmental impact of butyltins have been the subjects of a large body of research in the last decades. Biosorption and degradation of butyltin compounds by immobilized microalgae chlorella were studied in this paper, aiming to find an alternative way to solve organotin pollution problem. Chlorella emersonii cells were entrapped in a calcium aginate matrix. The cell growth rates, respiratory rate and chlorophyll a content were studied and compared. Results showed that immobilized chlorella had increased respiratory and growth rates, and almost equal chlorophyll a content when compared with free cells. Cell leakage was slight during the 20-day experimental period Cell leakage from the matrix was unrelated to cell growth within the matrix. Immobilized chlorella was applied to deal with butytin contaminated aquatic solutions. Immobilized chlorella had increased degradation rates of tri-, di-, and mono-butyltin chlorides in aquatic solutions, and lower biological accumulation factors on cells, than free cells, which indicates a potential use for tackleing organotin polluted water body.