Study of the biosorption of phenol by the cell walls of brewing yeast

Sorption capabilities of cell walls of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae with respect to phenol have been investigated. Elemental analysis established the composition of yeast cell walls: 47.8–48.6% C; 5.7-6.1% N and 6.86% H. The surface of the sorbent determined by BET, was 118.6 m2/g, ash content – 18-22%. Using FTIR-spectroscopy, it is shown that the prevailing mechanism of phenol adsorption is physical sorption, and not complexation. The adsorption abilities of yeast cell walls with respect to phenol were studied relative to pH, initial phenol concentration, sorbent dose and activation time. It is shown that the sorption efficiency increases in protonated solutions with pH