Abstract
Convergence of biotechnology and chemistry offers greener alternatives in environmental remediation. Hexavalent chromium is genotoxic and carcinogenic. The aim of the present study is to investigate the removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution in batch and fixed bed column experiments using dead biomass of isolated Aspergillus fungal species immobilized in epichlorohydrin crosslinked cellulose. The biosorbent exhibited good potential to remove Cr(VI). Other parameters such as pH, isotherms, kinetics and temperature effect were studied with a view to understand the adsorption efficiency. Biomass as low as 0.4g could adsorb completely a Cr(VI) concentration of 5mgL−1 within 3h from an aqueous volume of 30mL. Optimum pH and temperature for Cr(VI) biosorption were 2.0 and 30°C, respectively with a Langmuir adsorption capacity of 23.83mgg−1. Kinetic studies favour the pseudo second order model. The biosorbent–Cr(VI) interactions were corroborated by FTIR, SEM, EDAX and ESCA analysis. Emphasis is laid on various column modelling studies at different bed heights, flowrates, and concentrations of Cr(VI) and the experimental data obtained was in good agreement with Bed Depth Service Time (BDST) model. The synergism of Aspergillus and cellulose as a potential biosorbent was also validated in a synthetic mixture of diverse ions and a certified industrial effluent wastewater sample (BCR-715).
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