Efficient Enzymatic Degradation of Aromatic Pollutants Under Non-Ambient Conditions

Abstract

Water pollution is posing a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health due to the increasing discharge of industrial and pharmaceutical waste into water bodies. Among the most concerning contaminants are emerging pollutants; a diverse group of synthetic or naturally occurring chemicals, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, and endocrine-disrupting compounds. These pollutants are not commonly monitored in conventional water treatment systems and often persist in the environment, posing long-term ecological and toxicological risks. Synthetic dyes, particularly those released by the textile and dyeing industries, are another major class of pollutants due to their complex structures, resistance to degradation, and potential to form toxic byproducts. As the demand for effective and sustainable water treatment technologies grows, enzyme-based bioremediation has emerged as a promising alternative. Biological/Enzymatic bioremediation offers a sustainable and efficient alternative to conventional methods by utilizing enzymes to degrade pollutants into innocuous byproducts. Among the diverse enzymatic options, peroxidases, especially soybean peroxidase demonstrates significant potential due to its high catalytic activity, thermal stability, and broad substrate specificity. This research aims to investigate the viability of enzyme systems, namely that of SBP, to improve pollutant degradation efficiency in wastewater treatment. The pH optimization and thermal stability experiments were conducted to maximize the catalytic activity of SBP. Dye decolorization experiments were performed on Crystal Ponceau 6R and Trypan Blue dyes to test the efficacy of the optimized enzymatic system. The dyes exhibited similar decolorization profiles. However, unlike Crystal Ponceau 6R, Trypan Blue showed decolorization even without the presence of a redox mediator. Emerging pollutants degradation experiments were carried out next on a panel of eight emerging pollutants. Four out of eight pollutants showed enhanced degradation, three of which are novel, including diclofenac, acetaminophen, and atrazine.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	American English
Supervisor	Syed Ashraf (Supervisor)