Biosorption of mercury (II) from aqueous solution onto biomass of Aspergillus niger

Abstract

Mercury (II) removal capacity in aqueous solution by Aspergillus niger biomass was analyzed by the atomic absorption spectrometry method. The fungus grew in 2000 ppm of the metal (20.3%). Biosorption was evaluated at different pH (3.5, 4.5, and 5.5) at different times. In addition, the effect of temperature in the range of 28°C to 45oC and removal at different initial concentrations of Hg (II) from 100 to 500 mg/L were also studied. The highest biosorption (83.2% with 100 mg/L of the metal, and 1 g of biomass) was 24 h at pH of 5.5 and 28oC. With regard to temperature, the highest removal was to 28oC, with an 83.2% removal at 24 h, and at higher biomass concentrations, the removal was most efficient (100% in 12 h with 5 g of biomass). Fungal biomass showed good removal capacity of the metal in situ, 69% removal in contaminated water, after 7 days of incubation and 5 g of biomass (100 mL water), so it can be used to remove industrial wastewater.

Usefulness of the Biomass of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) for The Elimination of Chromium (VI) from Polluted Waters

“…In the control of the experiment (without biomass), the concentration of the metal of samples decreased between 7% and 14% (data not shown), which may be caused by the microflora autochthonous and/or reducing components present in the samples [35]. The capacity of chromium (VI) removal from wastewater by these biomasses, is equal or better than others analyzed, for example: the biomass of two commercial strains of A. bisporus [30], in which after 7 days of incubation the concentration of this metal of the soil and water samples, decreased between 66.1% and 76.2%, too, 5 g of biomass of F. duorarum, removal 80% of chromium (VI) from soil contaminated with 297 mg of the metal/g of soil, after 96 h of incubation at 28 °C [31], the modified biomass of rice grain (O. sativa L.) efficiently removes ground metal and contaminated wastewater (71 and 73%, respectively), at 10 days of incubation with 10 g of modified biomass [19], the fungal biomass of Aspergills niger removal 69% of the metal in situ, (7 days of incubation and 5 g of biomass (100 mL water) [36]. Fungal strains isolated from effluent contaminated (Aspergillus spp., Rhizopus spp., Trichoderma spp., and Penicillium spp.…”