Tramates trogii biomass in carboxymethylcellulose-lignin composite beads for adsorption and biodegradation of bisphenol A

Tramates trogii biomass was immobilized in carboxymethyl cellulose-lignin composite beads via cross-linking with Fe(III) ions (i.e., Fe(III)-CMC@Lig(1–4)@FB). The composite beads formulations were used for the adsorption and degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) using the free fungal biomass as a control system. The maximum adsorption capacity of the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)-CMC@Lig-3@FB for BPA was found to be 57.8 and 95.6, mg/g, respectively. The degradation rates of BPA were found to be 87.8 and 89.6% for the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)CMC@Lig-3@FB for 72 h in a batch reactor, respectively. Adsorption of BPA on the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)CMC@Lig-3@FB fungal preparations described by the Langmuir and Temkin isotherm models, and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The values of Gibbs free energy of adsorption (ΔG°) were − 20.7 and − 25.8 kJ/mol at 298 K for BPA on the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)-CMC@Lig-3@FB beads, respectively. Moreover, the toxicities of the BPA and degradation products were evaluated with three different test organisms: (i) a freshwater micro-crustacean (Daphnia magna), (ii) a freshwater algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardti), and (iii) a Turkish winter wheat seed (Triticum aestivum L.). After treatment with the Fe(III)CMC@Lig-3@FB formulation, the degradation products had not any significant toxic effect compared to pure BPA. This work shows that the prepared composite bioactive system had a high potential for degradation of BPA from an aqueous medium without producing toxic end-products. Thus, it could be a good candidate for environmentally safe biological methods.