SUITABILITY OF A MODIFIED CAPILLARY MEMBRANE FOR GROWTH OF FUNGAL BIOFILMS

A preliminary study was carried out to determine the feasibility of gr owing two model fungal organisms as biofilms in bioreactors in which t he biofilm was supported on novel capillary membranes which have no ex ternal skin, and thus allow high transmembrane flux. The fungi used we re Trametes versicolor and Neurospora crassa. Biofilm morphology and e xtracellular enzyme production were monitored. The removal from the bi oreactor feed of a model pollutant, p-cresol, by T. versicolor was inv estigated, and results indicated that the cresol was removed from the solution.