THE MICROBIOLOGICAL PURIFICATION OF WATER AND A MICROORGANISM FOR USE IN SAID PROCESS

The invention relates to a process for the microbiological purification of water which is polluted by contaminants such as chlorophenols. The purification is performed with the aid of microorganisms which degrade the contaminant in question, whereby the feed water is directed through a biofilter which captures the contaminant so that the water is essentially cleaned and the contaminants are enriched in said filter. Microorganisms which have been previously immobilized on the biofilter are made to degrade the contaminant captured in said biofilter. The purification of huge amounts of water is quicker and the size of the apparatus smaller when the relatively slow biodegradation can be performed as a separate second step of process. The process is especially suitable for the purification of cold waters, which normally are difficult to purify. In the present process only the water circulating in the biofilter during the biodegradation stage needs to be heated to a temperature which is suitable for bioactivity. The invention also relates to a novel microorganism which can be used in said process as well as to a solid support containing immobilized chlorophenol-degrading microorganisms which can be used as a biofilter.