Rapid and continuous degradation of toxic organic pollutants and conversion to microalgae biomass are attracting enormous interest for resource recovery and wastewater treatment. Aiming toward this goal, we develop and demonstrate a novel photocatalytic-biological system in which photocatalytic optical hollow fibers coated with the N-doped TiO 2 photocatalyst and a Scenedesmus obliquus biofilm cooperatively convert phenol to microalgae biomass. The photocatalytic optical hollow fibers exhibit high UV−visible photocatalytic activity to rapidly degrade phenol and emit visible light for biofilm growth, lipid synthesis, and O 2 production. O 2 produced as an electron acceptor is transferred to the surface of the photocatalytic optical hollow fibers, limiting electron−hole recombination and generating reactive oxygen species such as • OH and • O 2 − . Upregulation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide + hydrogen and adenosine triphosphate and enrichment of Rhodococcus and Pseudomonas in the biofilm enhance the resistance to phenol toxicity, maintain rapid and stable biofilm growth, and increase lipid content. This photocatalyticbiological system rapidly and sustainably converts phenol to microalgae biomass.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.