Evaluation of the metal uptake of several algae strains in a multicomponent matrix utilizing inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry.

Mahan CA, Majidi V, Holcombe JA.

Three freshwater heat-killed, lyophilized blue-green algae strains have been characterized as to their ability to accumulate heavy metals with a focus on the utilization of these algae as an analytical preconcentration technique. This study examines the metal uptake in several multicomponent mixtures by using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Six milligrams of a pure strain of algae was added to 20-mL aliquots of buffered (pH 5.5-6.5) multielement solutions containing 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg/L of K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Sr, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, V, Zn, As, Cd, Mo, Pb, and Se. All three algae strains exhibit relatively high adsorption affinities for Fe, Pb, and Cu, with uptake between 70 and 98% at the 4 ppm concentration level. Biosorption occurs for essentially every element with the relative affinities decreasing in the order Pb greater than Fe greater than Cu greater than Cd greater than Zn greater than Mn greater than Mo greater than Sr greater than Ni greater than V greater than Se greater than As greater than Co for Chlorella pyrenoidosa at the 4 mg/L concentration level. Although some minor differences were seen, the other algae strains (Stichococcus bacillaris and Chlamydomonas reinharti) displayed similar adsorption behavior over the concentration range studied, indicating similar cell wall binding sites. Langmuirian isotherms exhibited a minimum of two slopes over the concentration range of 0.1-4.0 mg/L, indicating the probable existence of at least two adsorption mechanisms.

PMID: 2729595 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biosorption of nickel in complex aqueous waste streams by cyanobacteria.

Corder SL, Reeves M.

Engineering Development Section, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN.

A study was undertaken to determined if a suitable biosorbent could be found for removal of nickel at low concentrations (< 20 parts per million [ppm]) from a chemically complex wastewater effluent generated by electroplating operations. Algae and cyanobacteria were chosen as candidate biosorbent materials because they are easy to grow and they have the ability to withstand processing into biosorbent materials. Several species were screened for nickel-biosorption capacity initially, and three species of cyanobacteria were selected for further study based on their performance in the scoping tests. When compared to live controls, autoclaving improved the binding capacities of all three species, but usually biosorption data from experiments with live cells were more consistent. None of the three species was able to bind nickel efficiently in actual effluent samples. Further experimentation indicated that sodium ions, which were present in high concentrations in the effluent, were interfering with the ability of the cells to bind nickel. Adsorption isotherm plots for biosorption of nickel by two species of Anabaena in NiCl2-deionized water solutions were prepared.

PMID: 8010774 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Hyperaccumulation of nickel by hairy roots of alyssum species: comparison with whole regenerated plants.

Nedelkoska TV, Doran PM.

Department of Biotechnology, University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.

Hairy roots were used to investigate nickel uptake by the hyperaccumulator species, Alyssum bertolonii, A. tenium, and A. troodii. The Ni biosorption capacity of A. tenium hairy roots was lower than for other types of biomass such as bacteria and algae; in short-term (9-h) equilibrium studies, the highest Ni content measured in the roots was 17 500 microg g(-1) dry weight at a liquid concentration of about 4000 ppm. Using long-term hairy root cultures, it was demonstrated that Ni tolerance and hyperaccumulation do not necessarily depend on the presence of shoots or root-shoot translocation. A. bertolonii hairy roots remained healthy in appearance and continued to grow in the presence of 20-100 ppm Ni, accumulating up to 7200 microg g(-1) dry weight Ni. In contrast, hairy roots of Nicotiana tabacum turned dark brown at 20 ppm Ni and growth was negligible. The ability to grow at high external Ni concentrations allowed hyperaccumulator hairy roots to remove much greater amounts of heavy metals from the culture liquid than nonhyperaccumulator hairy roots, even though biomass Ni concentrations were similar. Although hairy roots proved to be a useful tool for investigating Ni hyperaccumulation, there were significant differences in the Ni uptake capacity of hairy roots and whole plants. Regenerated plants of A. tenium were much more tolerant of Ni and capable of accumulating higher Ni concentrations than hairy roots of this species.

PMID: 11485439 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biosorption of heavy metals.

Volesky B, Holan ZR.

Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Only within the past decade has the potential of metal biosorption by biomass materials been well established. For economic reasons, of particular interest are abundant biomass types generated as a waste byproduct of large-scale industrial fermentations or certain metal-binding algae found in large quantities in the sea. These biomass types serve as a basis for newly developed metal biosorption processes foreseen particularly as a very competitive means for the detoxification of metal-bearing industrial effluents. The assessment of the metal-binding capacity of some new biosorbents is discussed. Lead and cadmium, for instance, have been effectively removed from very dilute solutions by the dried biomass of some ubiquitous species of brown marine algae such as Ascophyllum and Sargassum, which accumulate more than 30% of biomass dry weight in the metal. Mycelia of the industrial steroid-transforming fungi Rhizopus and Absidia are excellent biosorbents for lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, and uranium and also bind other heavy metals up to 25% of the biomass dry weight. Biosorption isotherm curves, derived from equilibrium batch sorption experiments, are used in the evaluation of metal uptake by different biosorbents. Further studies are focusing on the assessment of biosorbent performance in dynamic continuous-flow sorption systems. In the course of this work, new methodologies are being developed that are aimed at mathematical modeling of biosorption systems and their effective optimization. Elucidation of mechanisms active in metal biosorption is essential for successful exploitation of the phenomenon and for regeneration of biosorbent materials in multiple reuse cycles. The complex nature of biosorbent materials makes this task particularly challenging. Discussion focuses on the composition of marine algae polysaccharide structures, which seem instrumental in metal uptake and binding. The state of the art in the field of biosorption is reviewed in this article, with many references to recent reviews and key individual contributions.

Publication Types:

Review

Review, Academic

PMID: 7619394 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Study model of the mid-range ecotoxicity of chemical substances]

[Article in French]

Jouany JM, Vasseur P, Ferard JF, Lelandais D, Truhaut R.

Semi-chronic ecotoxic effects are measured by studying mortality and reproduction of daphnids, grown in toxic medium and fed with toxic chlorellae during 4 weeks. Toxic biosorption is controlled analytically. Toxicity of Cd++ at a concentration of an order of magnitude of by liter is revealed after 14 days. Cr6+ appears non toxic at concentrations under 25 micrograms/l.

PMID: 3937572 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Ionic strength effects in biosorption of metals by marine algae.

Schiewer S, Wong MH.

Department of Biology, Institute for Natural Resources and Waste Management, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.

Biosorption, the passive accumulation of metals by biomass, can be used as a cost-effective process for the treatment of metal polluted industrial effluents. The green alga Ulva fascia and the brown seaweeds Sargassum hemiphyllum, Petalonia fascia, and Colpomenia sinuosa were characterized in terms of their number of binding sites, their charge density and intrinsic proton binding constant (pKa) using pH titrations at different ionic strengths. The determined number of binding sites decreased in the order Petalonia > or = Sargassum > Colpomenia > Ulva. Due to their high number of binding sites Sargassum and Petalonia are most promising for biosorption applications. The decrease of proton binding with increasing ionic strength and pH as well as the increase of Cu and Ni binding with increasing pH and decreasing ionic strength could be described by the Donnan model in conjunction with an ion exchange biosorption isotherm.

PMID: 10819211 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biosorption of heavy metals by marine algae.

Hamdy AA.

Microbial and Natural Products Chemistry Department, National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.

The ability of four different algae (three brown and one red) that have not been previously studied to adsorb Cr(3+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Cu(2+), and Cd(2+) ions was investigated. The metal uptake was dependent on the type of biosorbent, with different accumulation affinities towards the tested elements. The HCl-treated biomass decreased the metal biosorptive capacity particularly in the case of Cr(3) adsorption with Laurencia obtusa. The extent of uptake of the different metals with the tested algae was assessed under different conditions such as pH, time of algal residence in solution with the metal, and concentration of algal biomass. The rate of uptake of the different metals was very fast in the first 2 h; thereafter the increase in metal uptake was insignificant. The amount of the metal uptake (5-15 mg range) increased steeply by increasing the weight of the biomass. An exception was L. obtusa, where a parallel increase of the uptake of different metals was observed on increasing the algal mass from 5 to 50 mg.

PMID: 10977888 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Repeated use of two Chlorella species, C. vulgaris and WW1 for cyclic nickel biosorption.

Tam NF, Wong JP, Wong YS.

Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong. [email protected]

Two living Chlorella species were used to remove nickel from solution containing 30 micrograms Ni ml-1 in 10 successive cycles. The present study also examined the continued viability of these two algal species after repeated exposure to nickel. The two species of Chlorella were Chlorella vulgaris (commercially available) and WW1 (indigenous species isolated from domestic sewage and was tentatively identified as Chlorella miniata). The nickel removal percentage of WW1 cells was maintained at around 85% in the first five cycles, then declined slightly from the fifth cycle onwards, and finally achieved around 70% removal at the end of the 10th cycle. On the contrary, the removal efficiency of C. vulgaris declined from 50 to 30% during the 10 cycles of nickel bisorption. At the end of these 10 successive cycles, WW1 accumulated a substantial amount of Ni2+ (the cumulative cellular Ni concentration was 0.92% dry w.), while the value was only 0.17% in the case of C. vulgaris. These results suggest that the local isolate, WW1, had more consistent and satisfactory ability for removing Ni than the commercial C. vulgaris. Both algal species were still capable of dividing after each nickel treatment cycle, suggesting that the cells were not killed even when significant amounts of nickel were adsorbed/absorbed. However, Ni exposure adversely affected the physiological activity of algal cells as reflected by the decline in division rate and chlorophyll-a activity in both species. Such negative effects became more obvious as the number of cyclic treatments was increased. Nevertheless, WW1 cells appeared to recover from nickel treatment when re-cultivated in commercial medium for 2 weeks.

PMID: 11444009 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biosorption of trivalent chromium on the brown seaweed biomass.

Yun YS, Park D, Park JM, Volesky B.

Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Hyoja-dong, Korea.

Biosorption has attracted attention as a cost-effective means for the treatment of metal-bearing wastewater. However, the mechanism of metal binding is not clearly understood, and consequently, modeling of the biosorption performance is still raising debates. In this study, the biosorption of trivalent chromium was investigated with protonated brown alga Ecklonia biomass as a model system. Titration of the biomass revealed that it contains at least three types of functional groups. The Fourier transform infrared spectrometry showed that the carboxyl group was the chromium-binding site within the pH range (pH 1-5) used in this study, where chromium does not precipitate. The pK value and the number of carboxyl groups were estimated to be 4.6 +/- 0.1 and 2.2 +/- 0.1 mmol/g, respectively. The equilibrium sorption isotherms determined at different solution pH indicated that the uptake of chromium increased significantly with increasing pH. A model for the description of chromium biosorption was developed incorporating the hydrolysis reactions that chromium undergoes in the aquatic phase. The model was able to predict the equilibrium sorption experimental data at different pH values and chromium concentrations. In addition, the speciation of the binding site as a function of the solution pH was predicted using the model in order to visualize the distribution of chromium ionic species on the binding site.

PMID: 11718356 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Comparative analysis of the biosorption of cadmium, lead, nickel, and zinc by algae.

Klimmek S, Stan HJ, Wilke A, Bunke G, Buchholz R.

Institute of Food Chemistry, Technical University Berlin, Germany.

Thirty strains of algae were examined for their biosorption abilities in the uptake of cadmium, lead, nickel, and zinc from aqueous solution. A wide range of adsorption capacities between the different strains of algae and between the four metals can be observed. The cyanophyceae Lyngbya taylorii exhibited high uptake capacities for the four metals. The algae showed maximum capacities according to the Langmuir Adsorption Model of 1.47 mmol lead, 0.37 mmol cadmium, 0.65 mmol nickel, and 0.49 mmol zinc per gram of dry biomass. The optimum pH for L. taylorii was between pH 3 and 7 for lead, cadmium, and zinc and between pH 4 and 7 for nickel. Studies with the algae indicated a preference for the uptake of lead over cadmium, nickel, and zinc in a four metal solution. The metal binding abilities of L. taylorii could be improved by phosphorylation of the biomass. The modified biosorbent demonstrated maximum capacities of 2.52 mmol cadmium, 3.08 mmol lead, 2.79 mmol nickel, and 2.60 mmol zinc per gram of dry biomass. Investigations with phosphated L. taylorii indicated high capacities for the four metals also at low pH. The selectivity remained quite similar to the unmodified algae.

PMID: 11718343 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Study of the mechanisms of cadmium biosorption by dealginated seaweed waste.

Romero-Gonzalez ME, Williams CJ, Gardiner PH.

Division of Chemistry, School of Science and Mathematics, Sheffield Hallam University, Howard Street, Sheffield S1 1WB, U.K.

The ability of dealginated seaweed waste, a waste material derived from the commercial processing of seaweed for alginate production, to remove cadmium from solution was determined. Cadmium sorption was found to be rapid (91% removal within 5 min), achieving a residual concentration of 0.8 mg L-1 after 1-h contact time from an initial solution concentration of 10 mg L-1. The binding of cadmium by dealginate was found to be pH dependent, optimal sorption occurring at around pH 6-8. The mechanism of cadmium ion binding by dealginate was investigated by a number of techniques. Potentiometric titration of the dealginate revealed two distinct pKa values, the first having a value similar to carboxyl groups and the second comparable with that of saturated thiols and amines. Esterification of the dealginate resulted in the subsequent reduction in cadmium sorption (95% to 17%), indicating that carboxyl groups are largely responsible for sorption. Evidence from FT-IR spectra confirmed the presence of carboxyl groups in untreated dealginate, while the number of carboxyl groups was markedly reduced in the esterified sample. Furthermore, the FT-IR spectrum for dealginate was found to be similar to that previously reported for mannuronic acid-rich calcium alginate. Determination of a molar ratio in the displacement of calcium by cadmium on dealginate further supported the presence of an ion-exchange relationship. The ion-exchange constant was calculated to be 0.329 x 10(-6). The speciation of cadmium in solution both before and after sorption was determined by an ion-selective electrode (ISE) technique. The findings of this study suggest that the sorption of cadmium by dealginate is mainly due to an ion-exchange mechanism.

PMID: 11478258 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biosorption and desorption of cadmium(II) by biomass of Laminaria japonica.

Yin P, Yu Q, Lin Z, Kaewsarn P.

Department of Chemistry, Jinan University, Guangzhou 51063, P.R. China.

Biosorption and desorption properties of cadmium(II) from aqueous solutions by the biomass of marine alga Laminaria japonica were investigated. Results indicated that the uptake capacities were solution pH dependent and a maximum uptake capacity of about 1.3 mmol g-1 (dry weight) was observed at pH 6. The adsorbed cadmium cannot be desorbed by distilled water, but it can be effectively recovered by using acidic or EDTA solutions. The equilibrium isotherms can be described well with the Langmuir adsorption equation. Biomass, pre-treated with calcium solution exhibited a higher (about 30%) uptake capacity and can be easily settled from aqueous solutions. Batch kinetics experiments indicated that more than 90% of the adsorption occurred within 20 minutes of agitation and equilibrium was reached within one hour. Fixed-bed experiments showed similar uptake capacities to those of batch results and sharp breakthrough curves were obtained. This study indicated that the biomass of L. japonica can be used as an efficient biosorbent for the removal and recovery of cadmium(II) from waste water streams.

PMID: 11424727 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Interactions of chromium with microorganisms and plants.

Cervantes C, Campos-Garcia J, Devars S, Gutierrez-Corona F, Loza-Tavera H, Torres-Guzman JC, Moreno-Sanchez R.

Instituto de Investigaciones Quimico-Biologicas, Universidad Michoacana, Edificio B-3, Ciudad Universitaris, 58030 Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico. [email protected]

Chromium is a highly toxic non-essential metal for microorganisms and plants. Due to its widespread industrial use, chromium (Cr) has become a serious pollutant in diverse environmental settings. The hexavalent form of the metal, Cr(VI), is considered a more toxic species than the relatively innocuous and less mobile Cr(III) form. The presence of Cr in the environment has selected microbial and plant variants able to tolerate high levels of Cr compounds. The diverse Cr-resistance mechanisms displayed by microorganisms, and probably by plants, include biosorption, diminished accumulation, precipitation, reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III), and chromate efflux. Some of these systems have been proposed as potential biotechnological tools for the bioremediation of Cr pollution. In this review we summarize the interactions of bacteria, algae, fungi and plants with Cr and its compounds.

Publication Types:

Review

Review, Academic

PMID: 11348688 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biosorption of copper and zinc by Cymodocea nodosa.

Sanchez A, Ballester A, Blazquez ML, Gonzalez F, Munoz J, Hammaini A.

Departamento de Ciencia de los Materiales e Ingenieria Metalurgica, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Complutense, 28040, Madrid, Spain.

The adsorption of the two metal ions Cu and Zn in a single-component system by Cymodocea nodosa, a brown alga, under different pH conditions was investigated. The solution pH significantly affected the exhibited uptake, being maximum at a pH value of 4.5. Multi-component mixture biosorption in aqueous solutions is also reported. A comparison was made between the single-component saturation uptake and the multi-component uptakes. To evaluate the two-metal sorption system performance, simple isotherm curves had to be replaced by three-dimensional sorption isotherm surfaces. In order to describe the isotherm surfaces mathematically, three Langmuir-type models were evaluated. The isotherms indicate a competitive uptake with Cu being preferentially adsorbed. In addition, different tests were carried out to compare the process efficiency working continuously in small columns.

PMID: 10525164 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Advances in biosorption of metals: selection of biomass types.

Volesky B.

Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Within the past decade, the potential of metal biosorption has been well established. For economic reasons, of particular interest are abundant biomass types either generated as a waste by-product of large-scale industrial fermentations or certain metal-binding algae found in large quantities in the sea. Some of these high metal-sorbing biomass types serve as a basis for newly developed metal biosorption processes foreseen particularly as a very competitive means for detoxification of metal-bearing industrial effluents. Ions of lead and cadmium, for instance, have been found to be bound very efficiently from very dilute solutions by the dried biomass of some ubiquitous brown marine algae such as Ascophyllum and Sargassum which accumulate more than 30% of biomass dry weight in the metal. Mycelia of industrially steroid-transforming fungi Rhizopus and Absidia are excellent biosorbents for lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, and uranium, binding also other heavy metals up to 25% of the biomass dry weight. The common yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a 'mediocre' metal biosorbent. Construction of biosorption isotherm curves serves as a basic technique assisting in evaluation of the metal uptake by different biosorbents. The methodology is based on batch equilibrium sorption experiments extensively used for screening and quantitative comparison of new biosorbent materials. Experimental methodologies used in the study of biosorption and selected recent research results demonstrate the route to novel biosorbent materials some of which can even be repeatedly regenerated for re-use.

PMID: 7917417 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biosorption: a solution to pollution?

Vieira RH, Volesky B.

Marine Science Institute-Labomar, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil.

To solve the water pollution problem by toxic heavy metal contamination resulting from humans technological activities has for long presented a challenge. Biosorption can be a part of the solution. Some types of biosorbents such as seaweeds, molds, yeasts, bacteria or crab shells are examples of biomass tested for metal biosorption with very encouraging results. The uptake of heavy metals by biomass can in some cases reach up to 50% of the biomass dry weight. New biosorbents can be manipulated for better efficiency and multiple re-use to increase their economic attractiveness.

Publication Types:

Review

Review, Tutorial

PMID: 10963329 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biosorption of Heavy Metal Ions to Brown Algae, Macrocystis pyrifera, Kjellmaniella crassiforia, and Undaria pinnatifida.

Seki H, Suzuki A.

Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University, Minato-cho 3-1-1, Hakodate, 041-8611, Japan

A fundamental study of the application of brown algae to the aqueous-phase separation of toxic heavy metals was carried out. The biosorption characteristics of cadmium and lead ions were determined with brown algae, Macrocystis pyrifera, Kjellmaniella crassiforia, and Undaria pinnatifida. A metal binding model proposed by the authors was used for the description of metal binding data. The results showed that the biosorption of bivalent metal ions to brown algae was due to bivalent binding to carboxylic groups on alginic acid in brown algae. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

PMID: 9761656 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Biosorption of chromium(VI) from aqueous solutions by green algae Spirogyra species.

Gupta VK, Shrivastava AK, Jain N.

Department of Chemistry, University of Roorkee, India. [email protected]

Biosorption of heavy metals is an effective technology for the treatment of industrial wastewaters. Results are presented showing the sorption of Cr(VI) from solutions by biomass of filamentous algae Spirogyra species. Batch experiments were conducted to determine the adsorption properties of the biomass and it was observed that the adsorption capacity of the biomass strongly depends on equilibrium pH. Equilibrium isotherms were also obtained and maximum removal of Cr(VI) was around 14.7 x 10(3) mg metal, kg of dry weight biomass at a pH of 2.0 in 120 min with 5 mg/l of initial concentration. The results indicated that the biomass of Spirogyra species is suitable for the development of efficient biosorbent for the removal and recovery of Cr(VI) from wastewater.

PMID: 11791837 [PubMed - in process]

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