PJB-2011-45
BIOSORPTION OF HEAVY METALS BY PRETREATED BIOMASS OF ASPERGILLUS NIGER
AMNA JAVAID*, RUKHSANA BAJWA AND TARIQ MANZOOR
Abstract
The present study reports the biosorption potential of chemically pretreated mycelial biomass of fungus Aspergillus niger van. Tieghem for Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions from aqueous phase. Fungal biomass was pretreated with different types of alkaline/salts (NaOH, NaHCO3, Na2CO3, NaCl & CaCl2,), acids (HCl & H2SO4) and detergent. Pretreatment of biomass with Na2CO3 and NaOH were proved to increase or maintain adsorption efficiency and capacity in comparison to untreated biomass. Pretreatment with NaHCO3, detergent, NaCl and CaCl2 significantly reduce (10-40%) metal sequestering efficiency of the adsorbent. Whereas, acid treatments resulted in drastic loss (80%) in metal uptake efficiency of the biomass. Amongst various pretreatments, Na2CO3 could be use efficiently for the removal of Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions from aqueous solution using A. niger.
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