Our aim was to investigate the biosorption of Pb2+, Hg2+, Cd2 from aqueous solution by Aspergillus terreus (both free and immobilized on loofa sponge discs). Our results show that the adsorption capacity of fungal biomass on loofa sponge (FBLS) is superior to free fungal biomass (FFB). The adsorption selectivity by FBLS was in the order Pb2+>Hg2+>Cd2+. The maximum metal ions adsorbed was 247.2,...

Industrial waste water and sediment containing heavy metals causes many ecological and health related problems. Many conventional methods were already being used to decontaminate the environment from adverse effect of these pollutants but yet most of the methods used are very expensive and far away from their best possible performance. The capability of microorganisms to bind metal ions is a we...

The removal of heavy metal ions by the nonliving biomass of aquatic macrophytes was studied. We investigated Cd biosorption by dry Hydrilla verticillata biomass. Data obtained in batch experiments indicate that H. verticillata is an excellent biosorbent for Cd. Cd was rapidly adsorbed and such adsorption reached equilibrium within 20 min. The initial pH of the solution affected Cd sorption effi...

Microorganisms can be important biosorbents for heavy metal remediation of contaminated soils and wastewaters.With different types and concentrations of heavy metals, strains display different resistance and removal abilities to the heavy metals. In the present study, biosorption of Pb(II) was carried out using Aspergillus niger NCIM 616 and also studied the effect of paramaters such as pH, tem...

The biosorption characteristic of Cu(II) using live and dead cells of Yarrowia lipolytica as biosorbents have been investigated in the present research. Biosorption of Cu(II) was enhanced with an increase in pH, temperature, agitation, contact time and initial concentration of the metal ion. It was observed that dead and live biomass efficiently removed copper at 30 min at an initial pH of 5.0....

Equilibrium experiments of chromium(III) biosorption by microalga (Spirulina sp.) and macroalga (Pithophora varia) were investigated in this paper. Influence of the following process parameters was studied: pH, biomass concentration and temperature. The equilibrium of the process was described with Langmuir equation. The model parameters were determined at various process conditions. The best o...

Biosorption of heavy metals by various types of non-living (microbial) biomass appears as a very cost-effective new alternative for decontamination of metal bearing effluents. The understanding of metal biosorption mechanisms has progressed to the point where the process is being readied for scale up and field applications. Packed bed sorption columns is perhaps the most efficient equipment for...