Adsorption of a mutant strain of Pseudomonas pictorum on rice bran based activated carbon

Microbial cultures immobilised on various matrices are used to protect the microbes from confronting shock loads of concentrated organic pollutants during wastewater treatment. Activated carbon is generally used as carrier material in comparison to other matrices. In this study a mutant strain of Pseudomonas pictorum (MU 174) was immobilised on rice bran based activated carbon. The effect of contact time, pH, mass of activated carbon, temperature and ionic strenth on adsorption of MU 174 on to activated carbon has been investigated. The optimum temperature and pH for adsorption of MU 174 on to activated carbon were 31 degrees C and 7, respectively. The adsorption kinetic parameters K-p, K-ad and Delta H have been determined. The rate constant values and the intraparticle diffusion of MU 174 on to activated carbon obtained were 5 x 10(-3)-17.5 x 10(-3) min(-1) and 0.75-2.9 min(0.5), respectively, and the enthalpy of adsorption was observed to be -47.9 kJ/Avogadro number of cells.