Removal of Heavy Metals from Waste Water by Biosorption

Abstract

The heavy metals are present in different types of industrial effluents, responsible for water pollution. Conventional methods like chemical precipitation. ion-exchange, reverse osmosis are costly, activated charcoal adsorption particularly for metals whose initial concentration is as low as (1- 100 mg/l). The studies have proved, in biosorption, there are many microbial species (Bacteria, Algae, Fungi, Yeast) for efficient removal of heavy metal (60-90%). Efficiency depends on biomass and metal concentrations. In the conventional method, activated charcoal, bentonite, Fly-ash used as an adsorbent to treat dilute aqueous metal solution to understand efficiency and effectiveness and results are compared with biosorption. The study considers the determination of Cadmium and Copper –sorption equilibrium data in batch system. In this project in biosorption process Cadmium and Copper will be removed by fungi (Rhizopus oryzae/MTCC/NCIM/1009/Accesion no.262), bacteria (Escherichia-coli/MTCC/Accession no.433 and Citrobactor freudii/ MTCC/ATCC 513/Accession no.*1658) which were procured from Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh. The proposed study would be carried out in order to determine some operational parameters of Cadmium and Copper sorption such as the time required for the metal–biosorbent equilibrium, the effect of different types of adsorbent, the effect of pH and temperature. Growth of bacteria with metal consumption, Models fitting for isotherms and for kinetics.