Biosorption of Copper(II) by Live and Dried Biomass of the White Rot Fungi Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Funalia trogii

• Published in: Engineering in life sciences Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 72 - 77
• Main Authors: Kahraman, S., Asma (Hamamci), D., Erdemoglu, S., Yesilada, O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.02.2005; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Biosorption; Biotechnology; Funalia trogii; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi; Heavy metals; Phanerochaete chrysosporium; Copper II; Fungi; Biosorption; Adsorption; Phanerochaete chrysosporium; Basidiomycetes; Biomass; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 1618-0240; 1618-2863
• DOI: 10.1002/elsc.200420057

Biosorption is an innovative and alternative technology to remove heavy metal pollutants from aqueous solution using live, inactive and dead biomasses such as algae, bacteria and fungi. In this study, live and dried biomass of Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Funalia trogii was applied as heavy metal adsorbent material. Biosorption of copper(II) cations in aqueous solution by live and dried biomass of Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Funalia trogii was investigated to study the effects of initial heavy metal concentration, pH, temperature, contact time, agitation rate and amount of fungus. Copper(II) was taken up quickly by fungal biomass (live or dried) during the first 15 min and the most important factor which affected the copper adsorption by live and dried biomass was the pH value. An initial pH of around 5.0 allowed for an optimum adsorption performance. Live biomass of two white rot fungi showed a high copper adsorption capacity compared with dried biomass. Copper(II) uptake was found to be independent of temperature in the range of 20–45 °C. The initial metal ion concentration (10–300 mg/L) significantly influenced the biosorption capacity of these fungi. The results indicate that a biosorption as high as 40–60 % by live and dried biomass can be obtained under optimum conditions. Heavy metal pollution in aquatic systems has become a serious threat today. The chemical processes that exist are not economical for treating a large volume of dilute metal concentration in sizeable bodies of water. Microbial biomass has emerged as an option for developing economical and eco‐friendly wastewater treatment processes. Live and dried biomasses of Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Funalia trogii were successfully used as biosorbents for the removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solution.