Use of immobilized cells of the strain Corynebacterium sp. for 4-nitrophenol degradation

4-Nitrophenol degrading bacterial strain Corynebacterium sp. 8/3 was isolated from chemically polluted soil. The product of cometabolic transformation of 4-nitrophenol was identified as 4-nitrocatechol., Effect of immobilization (encapsulation in calcium alginate) of Corynebacterium sp. cells on the process of 4-nitrophenol transformation was investigated. 4-Nitrophenol was converted by encapsulated cells and encapsulation had a protective effect, on 4-nitrophenol degrading bacteria in repeated cycles of incubation. Transformation of 4-nitrophenol to 4-nitrocatechol by encapsulated cells was influenced by pH of medium but was not influenced by concentration of alginate and CaCl 2 . The count of viable cells in alginate beads declined approximately by one order of magnitude after 10 d of incubation.