Desulfurization with Thialkalivibrio versutus immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane.

OBJECTIVE

Thialkalivibrio versutus D301 cells were immobilized on FeO nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by an improved chemical coprecipitation method and modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), then the immobilized cells were used in sulfur oxidation.

RESULTS

The prepared FeO-APTES NPs had a narrow size distribution (10 ± 2 nm) and were superparamagnetic, with a saturation magnetization of 60.69 emu/g. Immobilized cells had a saturation magnetization of 34.95 emu/g and retained superparamagnetism. The optimum conditions for cell immobilization were obtained at pH 9.5 and 1 M Na. The immobilization capacity of FeO-APTES NPs was 7.15 g DCW/g-NPs that was 2.3-fold higher than that of FeO NPs. The desulfurization efficiency of the immobilized cells was close to 100%, having the same sulfur oxidation capacity as free cells. Further, the immobilized cells could be reused at least eight times, retaining more than 85% of their desulfurization efficiency.

CONCLUSION

Immobilization of cells with the modified magnetic NPs efficiently increased cell controllability, have no effect on their desulfurization activity and could be effectively used in large-scale industrial applications.