Biosorption and desorption studies of chromium (III) by free and immobilized Rhizobium (BJVr 12) cell biomass

Abstract

Experiments with free cell biomass (cells + exopolysaccharides) ofRhizobium BJVr 12 (mungbean isolate) showed that amount ofCr³⁺ ion sorbed is influenced by the amount of biomass toCr³⁺ concentration ratio and time of contact. A ratio of 0.5 gfresh biomass to 10.0 ml 5.03 ppm Cr³⁺ sorbed 0.0275 mg Crequivalent to an uptake of 2.86 mg Cr g-¹ dry biomass and 1.0g: 10.0 ml sorbed 0.0366 mg Cr equivalent to an uptake of 1.9 mg Crg-¹ biomass. Immobilized cell biomass in ceramic beads and inaquacel (a porous cellulose carrier with a charged surface) were moreefficient than free cell biomass in adsorbing Cr(III). A reduction of49.7percnt; of Cr(III) for free cells, 95.6% for cells immobilized inceramic beads and 94.6% for cells in aquacel was achieved after 48hours under shaken conditions. Sorption capacities of immobilized cellbiomass in ceramic beads and aquacel ranged from 5.01 to 5.06 mg Crg^-1 dry cell biomass. The biosorption of Cr³⁺follows generally the Langmuir and Freundlich models of adsorption at lowCr³⁺ concentrations. The Langmuir constant for immobilizedcells in ceramic beads are: Q₀, 0.065 mmol Crg^-1 biomass; b (affinity constant), - 694 lmmol^-1 Cr and for cells in aquacel Q, 0.07 mmol Crg^-1 biomass; b, - 694 l mmol Cr g^-1 Cr. TheFreundlich constants are: K, 0.071 mmol Cr g^-1 biomass; n,0.13 g^-1 biomass l^-1 and for aquacel: K, 0.074mmol g^-1 biomass; n, 0.13 g^-1 biomass. Biotrapsmade up of immobilized cells in ceramic beads and aquacel were tested foradsorbing Cr(III) using two different flow rates: 0.5 ml/min and 1.5 ml/min.A significantly higher amount of Cr(III) was adsorbed at the lower flow rateof 0.5 ml/min. Biosorption of Cr³⁺ is competitive. Thetreatment of a waste water sample containing 6.03 ppm Cr³⁺ andother cations with the biomass reduced the Cr³⁺ concentrationto that much lower than for the test solution containing only Cr. Recoveryof biosorbed Cr(III) was by treatment at a different pH using dilute HClsolution. Recovery was higher for cells imbibed in ceramic beads thanaquacel. Percentage recoveries for cells in aquacel are 46.4% at pH1.0, 33.0% at pH 3.0 and 6.6% at pH 6.0–7.0. For cellsin ceramic beads, percentage recoveries are: 93.1% at pH 1.0,75.6% at pH 3.0 and 16.4% at pH 6.0–7.0. Biosorption ofCr³⁺ by cells immobilized in ceramic beads is reversible butonly partially for cells in aquacel.