Abstract
Microalgae have been proven efficient biological vectors for heavy metal uptake. In order to further study their biosorption potential, a strain of Desmodesmus pleiomorphus (L) was isolated from a strongly contaminated industrial site in Portugal. Under different initial Zn2+ concentrations, metal removal by that strain reached a maximum of 360 mg Zn/g biomass after 7 days, at 30 mg Zn/l, after an initial rapid phase of uptake. Comparative studies were carried out using a strain of the same microalgal species that is commercially available (ACOI 561): when exposed to 30 mg Zn/l, it could remove only 81.8 mg Zn/g biomass. Biosorption experiments using inactivated biomass of the isolated strain reached a maximum Zn2+ uptake of 103.7 mg/g. Metal removal at various initial pH values was studied as well; higher removal was obtained at pH 5.0. The microalga strain L, isolated from the contaminated site, exhibited a much higher removal capacity than the commercial strain, and the living biomass yielded higher levels of metal removal than its inactivated form.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to Câmara Municipal de Estarreja for allowing full access to the contaminated site. This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Fundo Social Europeu (III Quadro Comunitário de Apoio), via PhD and postdoctoral research grants to Cristina M. Monteiro (ref. SFRH/BD/9332/2002) and Ana P. G. C. Marques (ref. SFRH/BPD/34585/2007), respectively, and by Ministério da Agricultura, Desenvolvimento Rural e Pescas, via project MICROPESCA-Estudo e optimização da produção de substâncias antimicrobianas por espécies autóctones da costa e lagoas portuguesas—coordinated by F. X. Malcata.
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Monteiro, C.M., Marques, A.P.G.C., Castro, P.M.L. et al. Characterization of Desmodesmus pleiomorphus isolated from a heavy metal-contaminated site: biosorption of zinc. Biodegradation 20, 629–641 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-009-9250-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-009-9250-6