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An electrochemical photobioreactor with a packed bed containing transparent gel granules and immobilized photosynthetic bacterial cells is shown with a one-dimensional two-phase flow and transport model. We consider the biological/chemical events in the electrochemical photobioreactor, the intrinsically connected two-phase flow and mass transport, and other factors. This model is based on a system of nonlinear equations. This paper applies Akbari-Ganji’s and Taylor series methods to find analytical solutions to nonlinear differential equations that arise in an immobilized-cell electrochemical photobioreactor. Approximate analytical expressions of the concentration of glucose and hydrogen are obtained in liquid and gas phases for different parameter values. Numerical simulations are presented to validate the theoretical investigations. Full article

Polyphenols and their intermediate metabolites are natural compounds that are spread worldwide. Polyphenols are antioxidant agents beneficial for human health, but exposure to some of these compounds can be harmful to humans and the environment. A number of industries produce and discharge polyphenols in water effluents. These emissions pose serious environmental issues, causing the pollution of surface or groundwater (which are used to provide drinking water) or harming wildlife in the receiving ecosystems. The treatment of high-polyphenol-content waters is mandatory for many industries. Nowadays, biotechnological approaches are gaining relevance for their low footprint, high efficiency, low cost, and versatility in pollutant removal. Biotreatments exploit the diversity of microbial metabolisms in relation to the different characteristics of the polluted water, modifying the design and the operational conditions of the technologies. Microbial metabolic features have been used for full or partial polyphenol degradation since several decades ago. Nowadays, the comprehensive use of biotreatments combined with physical-chemical treatments has enhanced the removal rates to provide safe and high-quality effluents. In this review, the evolution of the biotechnological processes for treating high-polyphenol-content water is described. A particular emphasis is given to providing a general concept, indicating which bioprocess might be adopted considering the water composition and the economic/environmental requirements. The use of effective technologies for environmental phenol removal could help in reducing/avoiding the detrimental effects of these chemicals. In addition, some of them could be employed for the recovery of beneficial ones. Full article