Characteristics of Photosystem Activity of Cyanobacteria Immobilized in Polymer Foams

Abstract

Cells of Anabaena azollae and Phormidium laminosum were immobilized in polyurethane foams either by adsorption or by entrapment in the prepolymer followed by polymn. Photosystem I (PS-I) electron transport activity was monitored as light-dependent oxygen uptake in the presence of Me viologen. Photosystem II activity was also studied. Changes in morphol. resulting from immobilization and the mechanism of adsorption as revealed by SEM have also been investigated. With A. azollae, the work has been mainly concerned with the photoprodn. of hydrogen via PSI-coupled hydrogenase and ammonia prodn. via nitrogenase. P. laminosum has been tested as a means for biol. treatment to remove the nitrogen (NO3-, NO2-) and phosphorus (PO43-) from secondary effluents. [on SciFinder(R)]