Abstract
The removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution was studied in batch experiments using dead biomass of three different species of marine Aspergillus after alkali treatment. All the cultures exhibited potential to remove Cr(VI), out of which, Aspergillus niger was found to be the most promising one. This culture was further studied employing variation in pH, temperature, metal ion concentration and biomass concentration with a view to understand the effect of these parameters on biosorption of Cr(VI). Higher biosorption percentage was evidenced at lower initial concentration of Cr(VI) ion, while the sorption capacity of the biomass increased with rising concentration of ions. Biomass as low as 0.8 g l−1 could biosorb 95% Cr(VI) ions within 2,880 min from an aqueous solution of 400 mg l−1 Cr(VI) concentration. Optimum pH and temperature for Cr(VI) biosorption were 2.0 and 50°C, respectively. Kinetic studies based on pseudo second order models like Sobkowsk and Czerwinski, Ritchie, Blanchard and Ho and Mckay rate expressions have also been carried out. The nature of the possible cell–metal ion interactions was evaluated by FTIR, SEM and EDAX analysis.
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Abbreviations
- C i :
-
Initial metal concentration (mg l−1)
- C e :
-
Equilibrium concentration (mg l−1)
- k :
-
Sobkowsk and Czerwinski as well as Ritchie kinetic rate constant (min−1)
- k :
-
Ho’s Pseudo-second order and Blanchard kinetic rate constant (g mg−1 min−1)
- q i :
-
Observed sorption capacity of batch experiment i
- q e :
-
Equilibrium sorption capacity (mg g−1)
- q t :
-
Sorption capacity at time t (mg g−1)
- Q i :
-
Estimated sorption capacity of batch experiment i
- R 2 :
-
Regression coefficient
- SE:
-
Standard error
- SSE:
-
Sum of squares error
- t :
-
Biosorption time (min)
- V :
-
Volume of metal solution (l)
- W :
-
Mass of sorbent (g)
- α :
-
Blanchard kinetic model constant
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Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr P. K. Ghosh, Director, CSMCRI, Bhavnagar for constant support and encouragement and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi for financial support to Dr. Yasmin Khambhaty. Authors also thank Mr. C·K. Chandrakanth for SEM-EDAX analysis, Mr. Vinod Agarwal for FT-IR anlaysis and Mr. P. Balakrishnan for checking the manuscript for English.
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Khambhaty, Y., Mody, K., Basha, S. et al. Biosorption of Cr(VI) onto marine Aspergillus niger: experimental studies and pseudo-second order kinetics. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 25, 1413–1421 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-009-0028-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-009-0028-0