Bioaccumulation and biosorption of stable strontium and 90Sr by Oscillatoria homogenea cyanobacterium

Recent advances on biosorption by aerobic granular sludge

Aerobic granular sludge is a form of microbial auto-aggregation, and a promising biotechnology for wastewater treatment. This review aims at providing the first comprehensive, systematic, and in-depth overview on the application of aerobic granules as biosorbents. The target pollutants encompass heavy metals (both cationic and oxyanionic), nuclides, dyes, and inorganic non-metal substances. Different granule types are discussed, i.e. intact and fragmented, compact and fluffy, original and modified, and the effects of granule surface modification are introduced. A detailed comparison is conducted on the characteristics of granular biomass, the conditions of the adsorption tests, and the resultant performance towards various sorbates. Analytical and mathematical tools typically employed are presented, and possible interactions between the pollutants and granules are theorized, leading to an analysis on the mechanisms of the adsorption processes. Original granules appear highly effective towards cationic metals, while surface modification by organic and inorganic agents can expand their applicability to other pollutants. Combined with their advantages of high mechanical strength, density, and settling speed, aerobic granules possess exceptional potential in real wastewater treatment as biosorbents. Possible future research, both fundamental and practical, is suggested to gain more insights into the mechanism of their function, and to advance their industrial application.

Biosorption of strontium ions from simulated high-level liquid waste by living Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In this study, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) was modified by γ-ray. The RNA-seq results reflect that the high γ-ray energies could change some gene fragments, such as deletion, recombination, and mutation. The biosorption of strontium ions (Sr²⁺) to different types of S. cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae (K-0), modified S. cerevisiae (Y-7), and non-living S. cerevisiae (H-K)) from the simulated high-level liquid waste (S-HLLW) was assessed at different experimental conditions. The sorption experimental results show that, under an appropriate condition, γ-ray radiation can enhance its biosorption capacity slightly of Sr²⁺ to S. cerevisiae. The maximum metal uptake and efficiency of Y-7 under S-HLLW were 11.656 mg g^-1 and 37.91% at 32 h (wet weight), respectively. They decreased to 9.46 mg g^-1 and 30.76% under radiation conditions. SEM-EDX and TEM analysis indicates that Sr²⁺ was adsorbed both on the cellular surface and the inner parts of the cells. Our experimental results fit well to the Langmuir and Freundlich model isotherms (r² > 0.94), and the maximum biosorption capacity values reached q_max > 24.74 mg g^-1 at 32 °C. Negative values of ΔG⁰ and positive values of ΔH⁰ were observed, indicating the spontaneous and endothermic nature of Sr²⁺ biosorption on modified S. cerevisiae. The biosorption kinetics follow a pseudo-second-order equation at 32 °C (r² > 0.94). The desorption efficiency of Sr²⁺ adsorbed onto Y-7 was 7.65 ± 0.52%, 76.51 ± 2.13%, and 65.62 ± 2.42% by deionized water, 1 M HCl, and 0.1 M EDTA-Na, respectively. However, they were lower than H-K (18.82, 83.32, and 73.32%). Our findings demonstrate that living S. cerevisiae (Y-7) is a promising sorbent material for the treatment of radioactive process streams.

Biosorption of the strontium ion by irradiated Saccharomyces cerevisiae under culture conditions

As a new-emerging method for strontium disposal, biosorption has shown advantages such as high sorption capacity; low cost. In this study, we investigated the potential of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) in strontium disposal under culture conditions and the effects of irradiation on their biosorption capabilities. We found that S. cerevisiae can survive irradiation and grow. Pre-exposure to irradiation rendered S. cerevisiae resistant to further irradiation. Surprisingly, the pre-exposure to irradiation can increase the biosorption capability of S. cerevisiae. We further investigated the factors that influenced the biosorption efficiency, which were (strongest to weakest): pH > strontium concentration > time > temperature. In our orthogonal experiment, the optimal conditions for strontium biosorption by irradiated S. cerevisiae were: pH 7, 150 mg L^-1 strontium at the temperature of 32 °C with 30 h. The equilibrium of strontium biosorption was analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich models, from which the formal model is found to provide a better fit for the experimental results. The kinetics of strontium biosorption by living irradiated S. cerevisiae was found to be comprised of three phases: dramatically increased during 0-9 h, decreased during 12-24 h, and increased during 30-50 h. These results provide a systematic understanding of the biosorption capabilities of irradiated S. cerevisiae, which can contribute to the development of remediating nuclear waste water.

Cesium and strontium tolerant Arthrobacter sp. strain KMSZP6 isolated from a pristine uranium ore deposit

Arthrobacter sp. KMSZP6 isolated from a pristine uranium ore deposit at Domiasiat located in North-East India exhibited noteworthy tolerance for cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr). The strain displayed a high minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 400 mM for CsCl and for SrCl2. Flow cytometric analysis employing membrane integrity indicators like propidium iodide (PI) and thiazole orange (TO) indicated a greater sensitivity of Arthrobacter cells to cesium than to strontium. On being challenged with 75 mM of Cs, the cells sequestered 9612 mg Cs g(-1) dry weight of cells in 12 h. On being challenged with 75 mM of Sr, the cells sequestered 9989 mg Sr g(-1) dry weight of cells in 18 h. Heat killed cells exhibited limited Cs and Sr binding as compared to live cells highlighting the importance of cell viability for optimal binding. The association of the metals with Arthrobacter sp. KMSZP6 was further substantiated by Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) coupled with Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. This organism tolerated up to 1 kGy (60)Co-gamma rays without loss of survival. The present report highlights the superior tolerance and binding capacity of the KMSZP6 strain for cesium and strontium over other earlier reported strains and reveals its potential for bioremediation of nuclear waste.

Selective Uptake of Alkaline Earth Metals by Cyanobacteria Forming Intracellular Carbonates

The uptakes of calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba) by two cyanobacterial strains, Cyanothece sp. PCC7425 and Gloeomargarita lithophora, both forming intracellular carbonates, were investigated in laboratory cultures. In the culture medium BG-11 amended with 250 μM Ca and 50 or 250 μM Sr and Ba, G. lithophora accumulated first Ba, then Sr, and finally Ca. Sr and Ba were completely accumulated by G. lithophora cells at rates between 0.02 and 0.10 fmol h^-1 cell^-1 and down to extracellular concentrations below the detection limits of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Accumulation of Sr and Ba did not affect the growth rate of the strain. This sequential accumulation occurred mostly intracellularly within polyphosphate and carbonate granules and resulted in the formation of core-shell structures in carbonates. In contrast, Cyanothece sp. PCC7425 showed neither a preferential accumulation of heavier alkaline earth metals nor core-shell structures in the carbonates. This indicated that fractionation between alkaline earth metals was not inherent to intracellularly calcifying cyanobacteria but was likely a genetically based trait of G. lithophora. Overall, the capability of G. lithophora to sequester preferentially Sr and Ba at high rates may be of considerable interest for designing new remediation strategies and better understanding the geochemical cycles of these elements.

Programmed gradient descent biosorption of strontium ions by Saccaromyces cerevisiae and ashing analysis: A decrement solution for nuclide and heavy metal disposal

One of the waste disposal principles is decrement. The programmed gradient descent biosorption of strontium ions by Saccaromyces cerevisiae regarding bioremoval and ashing process for decrement were studied in present research. The results indicated that S. cerevisiae cells showed valid biosorption for strontium ions with greater than 90% bioremoval efficiency for high concentration strontium ions under batch culture conditions. The S. cerevisiae cells bioaccumulated approximately 10% of strontium ions in the cytoplasm besides adsorbing 90% strontium ions on cell wall. The programmed gradient descent biosorption presented good performance with a nearly 100% bioremoval ratio for low concentration strontium ions after 3 cycles. The ashing process resulted in a huge volume and weight reduction ratio as well as enrichment for strontium in the ash. XRD results showed that SrSO4 existed in ash. Simulated experiments proved that sulfate could adjust the precipitation of strontium ions. Finally, we proposed a technological flow process that combined the programmed gradient descent biosorption and ashing, which could yield great decrement and allow the supernatant to meet discharge standard. This technological flow process may be beneficial for nuclides and heavy metal disposal treatment in many fields.

Bioindicating potential of strontium contamination with Spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides

Tillandsia species have been recognized as efficient biomonitors of air pollution, but rarely exploited in bioindicating of strontium, an important nuclide. We exposed Tillandsia usneoides, colloquially known as Spanish moss due to its filamentous morphology but is an atypical angiosperm in the family Bromeliaceae, to the solutions with different Sr concentrations (0.1-100 mmol/L). The results showed that plants were able to endure Sr stress for a relatively long period, which suggests that T. usneoides is able to resist this toxic element. T. usneoides had the highest uptake ratio of Sr (82.21 ± 0.12%) when the plants were exposed to 0.1 mmol/L Sr solutions. Sr contents in T. usneoides increased significantly with the increase in applied metal solution concentrations. Low Sr stimulated the formation of chlorophyll, but high Sr decreased the contents of chlorophyll, and no significant effect on the total biomass was found in T. usneoides. In contrast, the permeability of plasma membrane based on the relative electronic conductivity in T. usneoides increased significantly under Sr stress, indicating that Sr probably caused oxidative stress. Moreover, correlation analysis showed that the leaf relative conductivity was significantly positively correlated with Sr contents in the plants after Sr treatments. Therefore, T. usneoides has considerable potential for monitoring Sr polluted environments through measuring Sr contents in the plant directly or exploiting the leaf relative conductivity as an indirect biomarker.

Radio-resistance in psychrotrophic Kocuria sp. ASB 107 isolated from Ab-e-Siah radioactive spring

A new isolate, Kocuria sp. ASB 107 from the Ab-e-Siah mineral radioactive spring (Ramsar, Mazandaran Province, Iran) was characterized on the basis of morphological and biochemical characteristics plus 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The isolate is most closely related to Kocuria rosea DSM 20447(T) (99.7% sequence similarity) and Kocuria polaris DSM 14382(T) (99.5%). This strain has some resistance to various genotoxic stresses, such as ionizing radiation, ultraviolet (256 nm- UV) and corona discharge. The 90% lethal doses (D(10)) for gamma-rays and 256 nm-UV are 2 kGy and 400 J m(-2), respectively, in definite cell concentration. Moreover, the resistance for a definite energy of corona discharge is 10 s, about 10 times greater than that of Escherichia coli. The growth temperature of the strain ASB 107 is 0-37 °C in TSB (tryptic soy broth). This study is the first report on the psychrotrophic radio-resistant bacteria belonging to the Kocuria genus isolated from Ab-e-Siah spring.

Uptake of uranyl ions from uranium ores and sludges by means of Spirulina platensis, Porphyridium cruentum and Nostok linckia alga

In this paper was studied the uranyl ions biosorption on three types of alga: Nostok linckia, Porphyridium cruentum and Spirulina platensis. These ions were supplied either from a pure solution of uranyl nitrate, or after leaching process of uranium ore, or from the sludge resulting in the output of pure UO(2) technology. It was investigated the retention degree versus contact time and afterwards the Langmuir and Freundlich biosorption isotherms of uranyl ions on the three alga types. The retention of UO(2)(2+) ions on alga was proved through FTIR spectra plotted before and after biosorption processes. From the experimental data it was found that regardless of origin of uranyl ions, the retention degree on alga decreased in the series. Spirulina platensis > Porphyridium cruentum ≥ Nostok linckia.

Biosorption of strontium from aqueous solution by fungus Aspergillus terreus

INTRODUCTION

The biosorption characteristics of strontium ions using fungus Aspergillus terreus were investigated. Experimental parameters affecting the biosorption process such as pH, contact time, initial metal concentration, and temperature were studied.

MATHEMATICAL DESCRIPTION

Fungus A. terreus exhibited the highest strontium uptake capacity at 15°C at an initial strontium ion concentration of 876 mg L(-1) and an initial pH of 9. Biosorption capacity increased from 219 to 308 mg g(-1) with a decrease in temperature from 45°C to 15°C at this initial strontium concentration. The equilibrium data fitted very well to the Langmuir adsorption model in the concentration range of strontium ions and at all the temperatures studied.

CONCLUSION

Evaluation of the experimental data in terms of biosorption dynamics showed that the biosorption of strontium onto fungus followed the pseudo-second-order dynamics well (R(2) > 0.985). The calculated thermodynamics parameters (-1.64 < ∆G° < -1.93 kJ mol(-1) at temperatures of 45-15°C, ∆H° = -4.83 kJ mol(-1) and ∆S° = -0.01 kJ mol(-1) K(-1)) showed that the biosorption of strontium ions were feasible, spontaneous, and exothermic at the temperature ranges of 15-45°C.

Removal of Cd(II) from aquatic system using Oscillatoria sp. biosorbent

Biosorption of Cd(II) ions from aqueous solutions by native and dried Oscillatoria sp. Cyanobacterium biomass was investigated in the batch mode. The Oscillatoria sp. was prepared from Molecular and Cell Laboratory of University of Mazandaran and grown in BG-11 medium. A comparison of Cd(II) adsorption properties of dried with native Oscillatoria sp. biomass was made, the dried one showed a higher biosorption capacity and faster kinetic. The influence of solution pH, contact time, biomass concentration, initial metal ion concentration, and presence of coions using dried Oscillatoria sp. biomass as well as pretreatment on the biosorption capacity of the biomass were studied. Various pretreatments of Oscillatoria sp. increased biosorption of Cd(II) at pH 7 in comparison with native biomass. However, heating at 100°C in a water bath showed significant improvement in Cd(II) biosorption capacity. The experimental biosorption data was well fitted to the Freundlich model compared to the Langmuir model, and the amount of Cd(II) removed from solution increased with increasing Cd(II) concentration. In addition, the dried biomass was investigated for Cd(II) removal from the simulated real sample containing about 14 mg/l Cd(II) at pH 7, under the same experimental condition.