The immobilization of bacterial cells within sponge discs was carried out as follows: The bacteria suspension (0.5 mL) was inoculated into 250 ml Erlenmeyer flasks containing 100 mL of the growth medium and four pre-weighed loofah sponge discs as an immobilizing matrix. The culture flask with no loofah sponge discs in the medium was served as the controls. The inoculated flasks were incubated at 30oC and shaken at 100 rpm.