APPLICATION OF MICROBIAL TYROSINASE ENZYME FOR INDUSTRY EFFLUENT TREATMENT CONTAINING PHENOL

Abstract

Phenolic compounds are the major pollutants found in the wastewater. Mostly phenolic compounds are derived from several industrial activities like leather, steel and iron manufacturing, petrol refining and also from mining industries (U.S.EPA, 1980). They are found highly toxic and corroding in nature. They are very harmful for living beings as they cause skin disease, respiratory and gastrointestinal ulcer, hematological changes, kidney and nervous system disorder.

Traditional treatments like chemical oxidation and adsorption are generally used often fail to generate final effluents with the required discharge quality. Various peroxidase enzymes have the potential to treat a large diversity of phenolic compounds and also act over wide ranges of pH and temperature. The major thought regarding this enzymatic treatment is the cost involved in the enzymes production and treatment is prohibitory. One of the possible alternatives to peroxidases is tyrosinase enzyme (EC - 1.14.18.1).

Tyrosinases are copper-containg enzymes that catalyze the o-hydroxylation of monophenols and ensuing oxidation of o-diphenols to quinones. Quinones are very less toxic in comparison to phenolic compounds and can be easily seperated. Tyrosinases ubiquitously distributed in nature. Tyrosinases are present in various bacteria, fungi, algae, invertebrates, plants and mammals. Tyrosinase can be easily extracted, purified and used for phenol treatment.