Removal of various phenolic compounds from solution using free and entrapped Lentinus sajor-caju

White rot fungi have attracted attention for their effectiveness in removing pollutants from aqueous solutions, both in terms of cost and environmental safety. Therefore, the free and entrapped Lentinus sajor-caju was used as a model white rot fungus to elucidate its performance in removing different phenolic pollutants from the solution. L. sajor-caju was entrapped in Ca-alginate beads and free fungus biomass was used as a control system to remove three different phenolic compounds, namely, phenol (PH), 4-nitrophenol (NP) and pentachlorophenol (PCPH) from aqueous solution. Different characterization techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer, zeta potential and contact angle analysis were performed to characterize the used adsorbents. The performance of fungal preparations for the adsorption of phenolic compounds was optimized under different operational parameters in a batch system. The removal performance of entrapped fungus was also studied in a packed bed reactor. The maximum adsorption capacity of the free and entrapped L. sajor-caju were found to be for phenol 170.3 and 125.2 mg/g, for 4-nitrophenol 34.5 and 27.1 mg/g and for pentachlorophenol 398.6 and 516.7 mg/g biomass, respectively. The preferential adsorption of phenolic compounds by both adsorbents was followed in the order of pentachlorophenol > phenol > 4-nitrophenol. All phenolic compounds adsorption on the fungus preparations is well described with the Freundlich isotherm model, and the results are in good agreement with the heterogeneity of free and immobilized L. sajor-caju biomass.