Abstract
Bacteria from the genus Acidithiobacillus, Leptospirillum and Ferroplasma, Sulphobacillus are often associated with water remediation. In this study a consortium of Acidithiobacillus caldus, Leptospirillum spp., Ferroplasma spp. and Sulphobacillus spp. was cultured and used to remove Cu2+ and Co2+ from synthetic aqueous sulphate solutions. The influence of experimental conditions such as pH, temperature, time, volume and metal concentration on the efficiency of the biosorption process was investigated. Biosorption of 54 to 67% Cu (pH 2, 37°C, 24 h) and 23-70% Co (pH 2, 37°C, 24 h) was observed from solutions containing 3.86 g·l-1 Cu2+ ions and 3.36 g·l-1 Co2+ ions. Such findings suggest that if optimal conditions for biosorption of the metals by micro-organisms are achieved, this should afford a cost-effective method of removing metal species from water and aqueous solutions
Highlights
Recent progress in the use of micro-organisms for industrial applications promotes bacterial leaching of mineralbearing ores and the microbial treatment of metal contaminated water (Brierley, 1982)
The Langmuir equation is given by: x / m / (1 bCr ) where: Cr is the equilibrium concentration of the metal in solution left after adsorption x/m is the number of metal ions adsorbed onto the bacteria a and b are Langmuir constants related to adsorption capa city and adsorption energy, respectively constant a is the maximum sorption capacity and represents single layer coverage of the adsorbent in contact with the adsorbate variable b represents enthalpy of adsorption and changes with temperature
This study has revealed that micro-organisms tend to remove or adsorb more metal ions at low concentrations and for shorter contact periods
Summary
Recent progress in the use of micro-organisms for industrial applications promotes bacterial leaching of mineralbearing ores and the microbial treatment of metal contaminated water (Brierley, 1982). While research on single species of heavy metal-ion uptake in solution by various micro-organisms is well reported, the synergetic effect of two or more metals in the biosorption process has, to date, received less attention (Chang and Chen, 1998). Solutions from all 3 different concentrations were put in Erlenmeyer flasks in an incubator at 37±0.5°C with constant shaking to emulate optimum conditions for biosorption (contact time, pH, initial metal concentration).
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