Removal of Cr (III) from model solutions and a real effluent by Phanerochaete chrysosporium isolated living microorganism: equilibrium and kinetics

Abstract

Removal of Cr (III) was investigated using Phanerochaete chrysosporium-isolated living microorganism; pH, contact time, temperature and nutrients addition were examined. It was found that P. chrysosporium can tolerate up to 600 mg/L chromium solution. The optimal growth conditions of the biosorbent were found to be 35°C, 26 h contact time and pH = 5. In addition, a complex nitrogen substrate, yeast powder, was shown to be most efficient than a synthetic one, like di-hydrogen ammonium phosphate. High chromium removal (98%) was observed in these optimal growth conditions. Experimental data were found to follow a Langmuir isotherm model (r2 > 0.99). Maximum sorption capacity for the present biosorbent was 213 mg/g according to the Langmuir isotherm model, namely significantly higher than the values reported in the literature, even for activated carbon. The fitting of experimental data onto kinetic models showed the relevance of the pseudo-second-order model (r2 > 0.99) for Cr (III) sorption by P. chrysosporium. In addition, a real effluent was obtained from tanning factory and was treated to examine process feasibility on real effluents.