Feasibility of metal adsorption using brown algae and fungi: Effect of biosorbents structure on adsorption isotherm and kinetics

Comprehensive assessment of carbon-, biomaterial- and inorganic-based adsorbents for the removal of the most hazardous heavy metal ions from wastewater

Owing to the high cost of recycling waste, underdeveloped countries discharge industrial, agricultural, and anthropogenic effluents without pretreatment. As a result, pollutant-loaded waste enters water bodies. Among the diverse toxic contaminants, heavy metal ions are the most detrimental because of their chronic toxicity, non-degradability, prevalence, and bioaccumulation. The growing shortage of water resources demands the removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater. Three SDGs of the sustainability agenda of the United Nations appeal for clean water to protect life beneath water and on land depending on the water sources. Therefore, efficient environmentally friendly approaches for wastewater treatment are urgently required. In this regard, several methods have been developed for the removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater, including adsorption as the most widely used method owing to its eco-friendly, cost-effective, and sustainable nature. The present review discusses the progress in the preparation and application of various adsorbents based on carbon, micro-organisms, agricultural waste and inorganic materials for the extraction of toxic metal ions such as Pb2+, Cr6+, As3+, As5+, Hg2+ and Cd2+. Herein, we provide information on the role of the homogeneity and heterogeneity of adsorbents, kinetics of the adsorption of an adsorbate on the surface of an adsorbent, insights into adsorption reaction pathways, the mechanism of the sorption process, and the uptake of solutes from solution. The present review will be useful for researchers working on environmental protection and clean environment.

Adsorption of Cd(II) ions on magnetic graphene oxide/cellulose modified with β-cyclodextrin: Analytical interpretation via statistical physics modeling and fractal like kinetic approach

In the present study, β-cyclodextrin modified magnetic graphene oxide/cellulose (CN/IGO/Cel) was fabricated for removal of Cd(II) ions. The material was characterized through various analytical techniques like FTIR, XRD, TGA/DTA, SEM, TEM, and XPS. The point of zero charge of the material was obtained as 5.38. The controllable factors were optimized by Taguchi design and optimum values were: adsorbent dose-16 mg, equilibrium time-40 min, and initial concentration of Cd(II) ions-40 mg/L. The material shows high adsorption capacity (303.98 mg/g). The good fitting of Langmuir model to adsorption data (R2 = 0.9918-0.9936) revealed the monolayer coverage on adsorbent surface. Statistical physics model M 2 showed best fitting to adsorption data (R2 > 0.997), suggesting the binding of Cd(II) ions occurred on two different receptor sites (n). Stereographically n > 1 confirming vertical multi-molecular mechanisms of Cd(II) ions adsorption on CN/IGO/Cel surface. The adsorption energies (E1 = 23.71-28.95 kJ/mol; E2 = 22.69-29.38 kJ/mol) concluded the involvement of physical forces for Cd(II) ions adsorption. Kinetic data fitted well to fractal-like pseudo first-order model (R2 > 0.9952), concluding the adsorption of Cd(II) ions occurred on energetically heterogeneous surface. The kinetic analysis shows that both the film-diffusion and pore-diffusion were responsible for Cd(II) ions uptake. XPS analysis was utilized to explain the adsorption mechanism of Cd(II) ions onto CN/IGO/Cel.

Immobilization of Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum with Filamentous Fungi and Its Kinetics

Immobilizing microalgae cells in a hyphal matrix can simplify harvest while producing novel mycoalgae products with potential food, feed, biomaterial, and renewable energy applications; however, limited quantitative information to describe the process and its applicability under various conditions leads to difficulties in comparing across studies and scaling-up. Here, we demonstrate the immobilization of both active and heat-deactivated marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (UTEX 466) using different loadings of fungal pellets (Aspergillus sp.) and model the process through kinetics and equilibrium models. Active P. tricornutum cells were not required for the fungal-assisted immobilization process and the fungal isolate was able to immobilize more than its original mass of microalgae. The Freundlich isotherm model adequately described the equilibrium immobilization characteristics and indicated increased normalized algae immobilization (g algae removed/g fungi loaded) under low fungal pellet loadings. The kinetics of algae immobilization by the fungal pellets were found to be adequately modeled using both a pseudo-second order model and a model previously developed for fungal-assisted algae immobilization. These results provide new insights into the behavior and potential applications of fungal-assisted algae immobilization.

Optimization of Cr (VI) removal from aqueous solution with activated carbon derived from Eichhornia crassipes under response surface methodology

Tannery industries' effluent contains a high concentration of Cr (VI) which has the potential to affect the environment and public health. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the optimization of Cr (VI) adsorption by activated carbon (AC) derived from Eichhornia crassipes from an aqueous solution. The adsorbent was activated with dilute sulfuric acid followed by thermal activation. AC was characterized using proximate analysis, SEM, FTIR, X-ray diffraction, and the BET method. The Cr (VI) removal optimization process was performed using a central composite design under the response surface methodology. The proximate analysis showed that the moisture content, volatile matter, ash content, and fixed carbon of the activated carbon were 5.6%, 18.2%, 14.4%, and 61.8% respectively. The surface areas of the Eichhornia crassipes before activation, after activation, and after adsorption were 60.6 g/m², 794.2 g/m², and 412.6 g/m² respectively. A highly porous structure with heterogeneous and irregular shapes was observed in the SEM micrograph. In the FTIR analysis, different peaks are indicated with various functional groups. The intensity of XRD peaks decreased as 2 theta values increased, which indicates the presence of an amorphous carbon arrangement. The point of zero charge (pH_pzc) of the activated carbon was found to be 5.20. A maximum Cr (VI) removal of 98.4% was achieved at pH 5, contact time 90 min, adsorbent dose 2 g, and initial Cr (VI) concentration of 2.25 mg/L. Statistically significant interactions (P < 0.05) were observed between the initial Cr (VI) concentration and adsorbent dose as well as the initial Cr (VI) concentration and contact time. Langmuir adsorption isotherm fitted the experimental data best, with an R² value of 0.99. The separation constant (RL) indicates that the adsorption process is favorable. The kinetic experimental data were best fitted with the pseudo-second-order model with an R² value of 0.99 whereas the adsorption rate is controlled by intraparticle and extragranular diffusion processes. Generally, the AC has the potential to be a strong adsorbent candidate for wastewater treatment at the industrial level.

Enhancement of humic acid on plant growth in a Cd-contaminated matrix: performance, kinetics, and mechanism

Phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated sites has been widely used. Nonetheless, the destruction of chloroplasts and plant growth enzymes by heavy metals leads to a low germination rate and high mortality of plants. To address these issues, an experiment was conducted in which plants were grown with (SHC) and without humic acid (SC) in actual Cd-contaminated soil from the site of an industrial pollution source. The results showed that the average germination rates of SC and SHC samples were 94.17% and 98.33%, respectively, and the plant heights were approximately 5 and 7 cm after 42 days of planting, respectively. It was discovered that humic acid (HA) enhanced plant growth by increasing urease and invertase content of the soil. The Shannon index and Venn diagram revealed that SHC had the richer population diversity. High-throughput analysis demonstrated that HA increased the content of plant growth-promoting bacteria in the soil from 5.01 to 34.27%. The experimental results revealed that HA increased microbial activity and diversity, thereby providing a favorable environment for plants to thrive. This study develops an effective method to enhance the phytoremediation performance of heavy metal-contaminated soils.

Arabica-coffee and teobroma-cocoa agro-industrial waste biosorbents, for Pb(II) removal in aqueous solutions

Agro-industrial waste biosorbents of arabica-coffee (WCA) and theobroma-cocoa (WCT) have been characterized and tested to remove Pb(II) from aqueous media. The maximum adsorption capacity of WCA and WCT (q_max = 158.7 and 123.5 mg·g^-1, respectively) is comparable or even higher than for several other similar agro-industrial waste biosorbents reported in the literature. Structural and morphological characterization were performed by infrared spectrometry with Fourier transform (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and charge measurements at the zero point charge (pH_PZC). Both biosorbents, WCA and WCT, show cracked surfaces with heterogeneous plates which ones include functional adsorption groups such as OH, C = O and C-O-C. Optimal Pb(II) adsorption occurs for a pH between 4 and 5 at [WCA] and [WCT] dose concentrations of 2 g·L^-1. We found that the adsorption process follows pseudo-second order kinetics with a rapid growth rate (almost six times larger for WCA than for WCT), basically controlled by the chemisorption process. The regeneration of both biosorbents was carried out in an eluent of 0.1M HNO₃ and they can be efficiently reused up to 5 times.

Biosorption of Cr (VI) by acid-modified based-waste fungal biomass from Calocybe indica fruiting bodies production

The world is going through a colossal drinking water scarcity. Unchecked discharge (even at trace levels) of Cr (VI) from industries into water bodies is a serious environmental concern. Here, we report waste fungal biomass (WFB) for the detoxification and removal of chromium ions. Biomass understudy was collected from Calocybe indica fruiting bodies. WFB was used after drying and pretreatment with two distinctive chemical methods, which improved the remediation effectiveness of Cr (VI). Light microscope and Field emission Scanning microscope (FESEM) were employed to elucidate the surface morphology of waste fungal biomass. While Fourier-Transform Infrared-Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDAX) were deployed to explore the mechanism of interaction between Cr (VI) anion and waste fungal biomass. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analyses demonstrated considerable conversion of Cr (VI) into nontoxic Cr (III) species. The most favorable condition for optimum Cr (VI) remediation of 99.66% by treated waste fungal biomass (TWFB) occurred at pH 3, contact time 10 min, adsorbent dosage 3 gL^-1, Cr (VI) concentration 4 mgL^-1, stirring speed 140 rpm, and temperature 320 K, where for untreated waste fungal biomass (UWFB) the optimum of 85% remediation occurred at a contact time 15 min, and adsorbent dosage 2 gL^-1 whereas other experimental conditions remained identical as TWFB biosorbent. Pseudo-second-order kinetics (R² > 0.99) model matched the adsorption rate. And, the Freundlich isotherm model (R² > 0.99) is shown to be a better match for the experimental data. The optimum amount of Cr (VI) adsorbed by the TWFB and UWFB were 205.8 ± 10.1 and 72.85 ± 2.36 mgg^-1, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters revealed that the adsorption was spontaneous (ΔG ˂ 0), endothermic (ΔH > 0), and entropy-driven (ΔS > 0). The generated WFB adsorbent also has significant recycling potential. After five cycles of regeneration and adsorption. It can still keep up good remediation effectiveness of Cr (VI) ions to 85.5.

Removal of toxic heavy metals using genetically engineered microbes: Molecular tools, risk assessment and management strategies

The direct release of industrial effluent into the water and other anthropogenic activities causes water pollution. Heavy metal ions are the primary contaminant in the industrial effluents which are exceptionally toxic at low concentrations, terribly disturb the endurance equilibrium of activities in the eco-system and be remarkably hazardous to human health. Different conventional treatment methodologies were utilized for the removal of toxic pollutants from the contaminated water which has several drawbacks such as cost-ineffective and lower efficiency. Recently, genetically modified micro-organisms (GMMs) stand-out for the removal of toxic heavy metals are viewed as an economically plausible and environmentally safe technique. GMMs are microorganisms whose genetic material has been changed utilizing genetic engineering techniques that exhibit enhanced removal efficiency in comparison with the other treatment methodologies. The present review comments the GMMs such as bacteria, algae and fungi and their potential for the removal of toxic heavy metals. This review provides current aspects of different advanced molecular tools which have been used to manipulate micro-organisms through genetic expression for the breakdown of metal compounds in polluted areas. The strategies, major limitations and challenges for genetic engineering of micro-organisms have been reviewed. The current review investigates the approaches working on utilizing genetically modified micro-organisms and effective removal techniques.

Effects of Mn(II) addition on Cd(II) removal by hydrated manganese dioxide

In this study, the redox homogeneous precipitation method was applied to synthesize hydrated manganese dioxide (HMO) and to study the removal performance of Cd(II) from wastewater. Moreover, a small amount of Mn(II) could still combine with HMO without causing the desorption of Cd(II). A novel discovery was that the synergistic effect of KMnO₄ and Mn(II) could directly regenerate MnO₂ to deeply remove Cd(II), realizing the recycling of MnO₂. The influence of Mn(II) addition on the adsorption behavior of Cd(II) was discussed in terms of pH, Mn(II) addition mode, initial concentration of Mn(II) or Cd(II), and contact time. The adsorption of Cd(II) on HMO could be better in line with the Langmuir model, while that of Mn(II) accorded with the Freundlich model. The pseudo-second-order kinetic fitting results indicated that the removal of Cd(II) and Mn(II) on HMO belonged to chemisorption. SEM, XRD, FTIR, and XPS analysis demonstrated that Cd(II) was trapped by forming an inner-sphere complex on HMO, and the added Mn(II) and KMnO₄ could regenerate MnO₂ through oxidation-reduction reaction, wrapping outside of Cd(II) for a purpose of deep removal of Cd(II). HIGHLIGHTS: 1)A small amount of Mn(II) can bind to HMO without causing Cd(II) desorption 2)A large amount of Mn(II) can cause partial desorption of Cd(II) 3)Large amount of Mn(II) will partially bind to the surface of HMO or Cd(II) complexes 4)Deeply remove Cd(II) without eluting and regenerating HMO.

Application of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the Biosorption of Co(II), Zn(II) and Cu(II) Ions from Aqueous Media

Yeast biomass is considered a low-cost material that can be successfully used for the biosorption of metal ions from aqueous solution, due to its structural characteristics. This study evaluates the biosorptive performance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the biosorption of Co(II), Zn(II) and Cu(II) ions from aqueous media in batch mono-component systems. The influence of solution pH, biosorbent dose, contact time, temperature and initial metal ions concentration was examined step by step, to obtain the optimal conditions for biosorption experiments. Maximum uptake efficiency for all metal ions on this biosorbent was obtained at: pH = 5.0, 4.0 g biosorbent/L, room temperature of 23 °C, and a contact time of 60 min, and these were considered optimal. The equilibrium results were analyzed using Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models, while for the modeling of the kinetics data, three models (pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and intra-particle diffusion) were used. Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm model and the pseudo-second order model showed the best fit with the experimental data obtained at biosorption of Co(II), Zn(II) and Cu(II) ions on Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Both maximum biosorption capacities and pseudo-second rate constants follow the order: Co(II) > Zn(II) > Cu(II), suggesting that the structural particularities of metal ions are important in the biosorption processes. Based on the obtained equilibrium and kinetic parameters, the biosorption mechanism is analyzed and the possible applications are emphasized.

Application of neural network in metal adsorption using biomaterials (BMs): a review

ANN models for predicting wastewater treatment efficacy of biomaterial adsorbents.

Optimization of heavy metal (lead) remedial activities of fungi Aspergillus penicillioides (F12) through extra cellular polymeric substances

Wastewater imposes a great threat to any ecosystem across the world, especially the aquatic one because of the different anthropogenic activities of human beings. The present study emphasizes the optimization of ecological parameters [pH, time (h) and temperature (°C)] employing Box-Behnken design (BBD) to achieve better bio-adsorption of a selected heavy metal [lead (Pb II)] from the wastewater through an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) of a benthic fungus, Aspergillus penicillioides (F12) (MN210327). The relevant statistical analysis (ANOVA) has enabled to record of the optimized bio-adsorption (73.14 %) of lead (Pb II) by fungal EPS at pH (8.85) and temperature (32 °C) for a duration of 5.74 h. Besides that, at the concentration of 0.5 mg/L of EPS, the flocculating rate was noted to be highest (88.4 %) in kaolin clay and the 50 % emulsifying activity. This investigation has also opened up new vistas on the possibility of the development of an alternative method of eco-sustainable bioremediation of heavy metals by fungal EPS on an industrial scale.

Studies on Zero-cost algae based phytoremediation of dye and heavy metal from simulated wastewater

In the present study, filamentous algae, an emerging candidate for biofuel and other useful chemical production, has been investigated as a biological adsorbent for the removal of contaminants from synthetic wastewater. Operational parameters were optimized in batch phytoremediation experiments. The adsorption equilibrium isotherm models such as Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevitch and kinetics models such as pseudo-1st and pseudo-2nd order in methylene blue decolorization and Cr(VI) removal were also investigated. The D-R isotherm theory provided the best fit. The pseudo-2nd order model accurately described the adsorption kinetic data. Maximum adsorption capacities were observed to 5.03 mg.g^-1 and 0.77 mg.g^-1 along with removal efficiencies were achieved to 91.3% and 91.4% for methylene blue and Cr(VI) remediation, respectively. Moreover, intra-particle diffusion kinetic theory was used to describe the mechanism. These outcomes are significant in the development of algae-based zero-cost pollutants removal technology in wastewater treatment.

Batch and Packed Bed Column Study for the Removal of Cr (VI) and Ni (II) Using Agro-Industrial Wastes

The objective of this study was to prepare bio adsorbents from agro-industrial wastes from yam starch (YSR) and plantain (PSR) production for its use in the removal of Cr (VI) and Ni (II) in aqueous solution in batch and continuous packed-bed column systems. Bromatological analysis showed that the biomaterials are rich in cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, and SEM micrographs that evidence a mesoporous structure characteristic of materials of lignocellulosic origin. FTIR evidenced functional groups such as hydroxyl, carbonyl, and methyl, possibly involved in the uptake of metal ions. EDS and FTIR analysis after adsorption confirmed that the retention of the metals on the surface of the adsorbent materials was successful. Cr (VI) and Ni (II) removal efficiencies above 80% were achieved using YSR and PSR in batch systems at the different conditions evaluated. The optimum conditions for removing Ni (II) on PSR were a bed height of 11.4 cm and a temperature of 33 °C, while for YSR, they were: 43 °C and 9 cm for temperature and bed height respectively. The variable with the most significant influence on the removal of Cr (VI) in a batch system on the two bio adsorbents was temperature. In contrast, the adsorbent dose and temperature are relevant factors for PSR Ni (II) removal. Therefore, the residues from the preparation of yam and plantain starch have high potential for removing heavy metals from wastewater and are presented as an alternative for their final disposal.

Algae-mediated route to biogenic cuprous oxide nanoparticles and spindle-like CaCO3: a comparative study, facile synthesis, and biological properties

Biocompatible syntheses of Cu2O nanoparticles are relatively low compared to some other reported metal oxides due to their low stability and requiring more carefully controlled synthetic conditions. In the present study, the efficiency of three brown algae (Cystoseira myrica, Sargassum latifolium and Padina australis) extracts collected from the Persian Gulf was evaluated in the biosynthesis of Cu2O nanoparticles. A fast and simplified synthesis of Cu2O nanoparticles with average size between 12 and 26 nm was successfully achieved through an eco-friendly method using the aqueous extracts of Sargassum latifolium and Cystoseira myrica. Whereas, under the same reaction conditions using Padina australis extract no Cu2O nanoparticles were produced, and unexpectedly, the results approved the formation of spindle shaped CaCO3 with average sizes of 1-2 μm in length and 300-500 nm in width. Structure, morphology and composition of the as-prepared products were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, UV-vis, TEM and FESEM analysis. This work confirms that the biomolecules present in algae have the ability to affect particle size, morphology, composition, and physicochemical properties of the synthesized particles. The Cu2O nanoparticles prepared in this study were stable and exhibited efficient antibacterial and anticancer activity. This biosynthesis technique can be valuable in environmental, biotechnological, pharmaceutical and medical applications.

Modelling of palladium(II) adsorption onto amine-functionalised zeolite using a generalised surface complexation approach

The many uses of palladium in medicine, catalysts and other industries make it a very important precious element. Many industries using palladium discharge process wastewaters that may release elevated concentrations of palladium into the environment. This study focused on the recovery of palladium from aqueous solutions by zeolite functionalised with spent brewer's yeast. Batch experimental results were used to calibrate a generalised surface complexation model based on coupling parameter estimation (PEST) to the PHREEQC geochemical modelling code. PHREEQC is an acronym which stands for pH, redox, equilibrium and C programming language. Calibration was based on the determination of sorption constants for the reactions of palladium with the adsorbent. The generalised amine surface groups (derived from yeast), the moles of adsorption sites and surface area were specified. The recovery of palladium was assessed as a function of solution pH, adsorbent dosage and initial concentration of palladium in the presence of other cations and anions at different concentrations. The highest recovery of palladium (>97%) was observed at pH 2 and 10 g L^-1 adsorbent dosage which, decreased with increasing solution pH. The amount of palladium removed increased in the presence of competing ions and anions. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the modelled and measured data, which indicated that PHREEQC modelling code coupled with PEST can accurately determine the recovery of palladium using amine-based adsorbents when all the required information is specified. This is very useful in instances where limited experimental data is available for non-conventional and novel surfaces to make accurate predictions of sorption processes involving them.

Benefit-risk assessment of dietary selenium and its associated metals intake in China (2017-2019): Is current selenium-rich agro-food safe enough?

Dietary consumption of selenium-rich agro-food is an effective way to avoid selenium deficiency diseases, however, over consumption of selenium-rich agro-food will result in potential risk of selenosis and problems with associated metals. In this study, we measured the concentrations of selenium and its associated metals in 2756 common and 4894 selenium-rich agro-food samples in 10 regions of China. We found that selenium-rich rice, flour, edible fungi and algae, meat, and tea contain higher levels of associated metals than other selenium-rich agro-food samples. Increasing the consumption of selenium-rich agro-food could make the actual intakes (AIs) of selenium for all population to meet respective recommended daily intakes (RDIs). Benefit-risk assessment results indicated that increasing the consumption of selenium-rich agro-food make AIs of selenium for all populations meet RDIs, chromium intakes for people under 18 years old exceed provisional tolerated daily intake (PTDIs), while arsenic and cadmium intakes are close to PTDIs. The main dietary contributors of selenium, chromium, arsenic and cadmium were meat, edible fungi and algae, rice, and rice, respectively. The study supported the consumption of selenium-rich agro-food for effective selenium supplement, but also emphasized potential risk from associated metals in selenium-rich agro-food, especially chromium.

A cellulose degrading bacterial strain used to modify rice straw can enhance Cu(II) removal from aqueous solution

The development of lignocellulose-based adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater has attracted much recent attention. In this work, a high-yield cellulose bacterial strain Comamonas testosteroni FJ17 was evaluated for its capacity to modify rice straw towards increased Cu(II) removal. For optimum modification time (45.5 h), inoculum concentration (1.25%), and rice straw dose (12.6 g L^-1) the optimized adsorption capacity was 28.4 mg g^-1. After strain FJ17 modification the equilibrium adsorption percentage of rice straw for Cu(II) increased from 6.6 to 27.4% at an initial concentration of 100 mg L^-1. This increase was attributed to an increase in rice straw surface modification, leading to improved adsorption ability. SEM-EDS indicated that, following strain FJ17 treatment, the surface of the rice straw became more disintegrated and the specific surface area consequentially increased from 1.9 to 3.7 m² g^-1. FTIR analysis also showed new functional groups (carbonyl) appearing, and CC and CH₃CR functionality being enhanced after biomodification. Functional groups associated with the benzene ring, silicified polymer and carbohydrates were all involved in the adsorption process. Adsorption of Cu was well described by the Freundlich isotherm model (R² > 0.98) where adsorption was endothermic with potential for both chemical and physical interactions to coexist. Reusability experiments showed that the removal efficiency of Cu(II) decreased from 96.9 to 73.2% after five cycles. Overall C.testosteroni-treated rice straw had significant potential as a heavy metal biosorbent.

Adsorption of Pb2+ onto freeze-dried microalgae and environmental risk assessment

Dry microalgae Spirulina platensis shows a high capacity for heavy metal uptake, but there is a concern about dissolved organic carbon (DOC) residue, which is the precursor of disinfection by-products (DBPs). Vsp, a kind of Spirulina platensis powder prepared by vacuum freeze-drying, and Osp, a kind of Spirulina platensis powder prepared by the conventional oven drying-pulverization method, were subjected to assessments of their adsorption potential for Pb²⁺ and DOC residue. The adsorption mechanism of Pb²⁺ by the two adsorbents was studied by SEM, FT-IR, EDX and N₂-BET. The effects of pH, adsorbent dosage, initial Pb²⁺ concentration and contact time on the biosorption process were investigated. The results showed that Pb²⁺ biosorption by Vsp and Osp were fit well by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir model. The maximum amount of Pb²⁺ biosorption by Vsp was 253 mg/g, which was 33 mg/g greater than that of Osp. In comparison with Osp, Vsp reached adsorption saturation 8 h earlier and had a remarkable effect on the control of DOC residue in water. When both adsorption capacity and environmental risks were considered, it was determined that the dosage of 0.5 g/L Vsp for 2 h of contact time was the best method, with 85.89 mg/g of Pb²⁺ removal and 3.45 mg/L of DOC residue. In summary, Vsp is a highly efficient and environmentally friendly biosorbent that can be used for heavy metal removal from water.

A comparative investigation of lithium(I) biosorption properties of Aspergillus versicolor and Kluyveromyces marxianus

In the current batch study, lithium(I) ion sorption behaviors of Aspergillus versicolor fungus and newly isolated Kluyveromyces marxianus yeast were investigated comparatively. Surface and structural characterization studies of the biosorbents carried out with Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), surface area and zeta potential analyses showed that isolated K. marxianus yeast from salty wastes has more preferable properties (i.e. higher porosity, surface area and negativity) for cation sorption. Biosorption studies also supported this estimation; higher lithium(I) sorption capacities were obtained with K. marxianus cells at all experimental conditions studied. Rapid sorption profiles of the sorbents demonstrated that physical interaction is the main mechanism in this system. The effects of pH and initial lithium(I) concentration on the lithium(I) sorption capacities of biosorbents were examined. The maximum adsorption capacities of 347.9 and 409.2 μmol lithium(I)/g biosorbent were obtained at an initial lithium(I) concentration of 20 mg/L at pH 9.0 using A. versicolor and K. marxianus, respectively. The equilibrium data fitted both Langmuir and Freundlich models in the concentration ranges studied. This study revealed that K. marxianus yeast can be used for effective, rapid and low cost capture process of lithium(I) ions from aqueous solutions.

Application of a new type of Si–Al porous clay material as a solid phase support for immobilizing Acidovorax sp. PM3 to treat domestic sewage

A novel Si–Al porous clay material W (reprocessed from ceramic waste) was used for Acidovorax sp. strain PM3 immobilization to promote the growth of strains and improve nitrogen and phosphorus removal performance in water treatment systems. The porous clay material W was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy indicating that porous clay material W was a type of mullite with 63.52 m2/g specific surface area. After immobilization, the maximum biomass increased 2.7 times the specific growth rate and the removal rates of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia (NH4+–N), and total phosphorus (TP) by the immobilized PM3 were 42.99, 29.19, and 11.76% higher than the free strain after 24 h. The Monod equation showed that the growth rate and processing speed of immobilized PM3 increased. The maximum adsorption capacities of COD and NH4+–N onto porous clay material W were 2.33 and 0.32 mg/g on the basis of Langmuir isotherm. The removal capacities of COD, NH4+–N, and TP by the immobilized PM3 were 588.24, 20.37, and 5.06 mg/l, respectively, as shown by kinetic studies. These results demonstrated that porous clay material W could improve the efficiency of microbial nitrogen and phosphorus removal, and the immobilized microorganism system could effectively treat domestic sewage. The adsorption isotherms can well describe the adsorption process. The maximum adsorption capacity of COD and NH4+–N on porous clay material W is 2.33 and 0.32 mg/g, respectively. Kinetic studies showed that the removal capacity of immobilized PM3 to COD, NH4+–N, and TP was 58.824, 20.37, and 5.06 mg/l, respectively.

Recovery of gold from electronic wastewater by Phomopsis sp. XP-8 and its potential application in the degradation of toxic dyes

Environmentally friendly, efficient, and economical methods of gold recovery are significant challenges for high-tech industries and environmental protection. In this study, Phomopsis sp. XP-8, a filamentous endophytic fungus, demonstrated great potential for selectively recovering gold from electronic wastewater without any pretreatment and was shown to be convenient and safe in practical application. Under optimum conditions, the gold recovery rate was more than 80% at a dilute concentration of Au³⁺. Model-fitting analysis indicated the adsorption of Au³⁺ was well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum Au³⁺ adsorption was from 208 to 280 mg/g within the temperature range of 20-50 °C. The data from electronic wastewater revealed its great potential for selective recovery of gold from complex aqueous solutions. Additionally, the formed nanogold-bioconjugates exhibited efficient degradation of toxic dyes in wastewater, which demonstrated the potential application of these byproducts produced via the biosorption process.

Adsorption of PtCl62− from Hydrochloric Acid Solution by Chemically Modified Lignin Based on Rice Straw

A novel adsorbent with the properties of selective adsorption based on rice straw was used to adsorb PtCl62− from hydrochloric acid solution by batch sorption. Many influencing factors for PtCl62− adsorption, such as initial concentration of PtCl62−, adsorption time, and concentration of hydrochloric acid, were optimized. The results suggested that the saturation adsorption capacity of PtCl62− was 218.8mgg−1 and the equilibrium adsorption time was 120min. The adsorbent had excellent selectivity on PtCl62− when the concentration of hydrochloric acid was lower than 0.5molL−1. The adsorption fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetics model. The adsorption mechanism was investigated by FT-IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses and it indicated that PtIV was reduced to PtII by hydroxy groups and then coordinated with N through ion exchange between Cl− and PtCl42−.