Immobilization of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae on Alginate Substrate to Biodegradation of Ibuprofen from Aqueous Solutions

Ibuprofen is one of the most widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that enter the water resources through manufacturing plants and disposal of hospital effluents and even domestic wastewater. The aim of this study was to removal of ibuprofen using biodegradation process by Saccharomyces Cerevisiae yeast fixed on alginate substrate from aqueous solutions.

This research was an experimental-laboratory study. The effect of parameters including yeast concentration (0.1-0.3 g/100ml), Initial concentration of ibuprofen (50-350 mg/l), contact time (1-30 hours),  initial pH (4-7) on the biodegradation of ibuprofen with stabilized yeast on alginate substrate was investigated. Experiments were designed and optimized using response surface methodology in Design Expert 7 software.

The findings of this study showed that the maximum removal of ibuprofen by fixed yeast on alginate at pH = 5.5, yeast concentration 0.2 (g /100ml), time 30 hours, and initial concentration of ibuprofen=50 mg/L was 93.5%.

Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the fixed Saccharomyces cerevisiae is capable to biodegradation of ibuprofen at low cost and high efficiency and this cost-effective method can be used for the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater.