A Study of the Suitability of Microbial Cells for the Biosorption and Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metal Removal

Abstract

Heavy metal contamination in the natural environment can occur as long-term site pollution or as surges of pollutants from wastewater discharge. It is well recognized that heavy metal discharge from the metal processing industries has a negative impact on the environment. Conventional methods of heavy metal removal from aqueous solutions are not cost-effective and produce large amounts of harmful chemical sludge. A novel and alternative approach to removing heavy metals from aqueous solutions involve the biosorption of these contaminants by non-living, metabolically inert biomass that is either derived from microorganisms or plants. One of the key elements of environmental and bioresource technologies today is biosorption. Due to their high surface-to-volume ratio, wide availability, quick kinetics of adsorption and desorption, and low cost, microorganisms—more specifically, bacteria, algae, yeasts, and fungi—have attracted increasing attention as biosorbents for the removal of heavy metals. Analyzing the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions utilizing diverse biological components, such as fungi, algae, yeast, and bacterial biomass, is the goal of the current study. This article discusses the advantages of heavy metal removal from waste streams, gives a brief overview of the technology’s potential for biosorption and bioaccumulation, and emphasizes the undelaying features of biosorption as well as operational factors like pH, the dose required to be given, the initial concentration, temperature, the efficiency of the treatment, and its economic significance.