The ability for biomass colonization of four porous mineral microcarriers (sepiolite, clay, pozzolana and foam glass-PoraverTM), was studied and related to their surface properties. The surface hydrophobicity of the mineral carrierswas a more important factor influencing colonization by the anaerobic consortium than was surface charge. It waspossible to correlate linearly the degree of hydrophobicity with the biomass retention capacity. Although the thermodynamictheory did not explain adhesion, an increase in cell attachment was directly related to the decrease of thepositive values of the free energy of adhesion. Surface roughness, porosity and the amount of surface Mg²+, werealso determinant factors in bacterial immobilization. However a great biomass accumulation can originate a decreasein biological activity due to mass transfer limitations.
展开▼
