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Removal of heavy metals by an Aspergillus terreus strain immobilized in a polyurethane matrix
Author(s) -
Dias M.A.,
Lacerda I.C.A.,
Pimentel P.F.,
De Castro H.F.,
Rosa C.A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1046/j.1472-765x.2002.01040.x
Subject(s) - aspergillus terreus , biosorption , effluent , chromium , metal , polyurethane , metallurgy , chemistry , nuclear chemistry , nickel , strain (injury) , materials science , food science , biology , environmental engineering , adsorption , organic chemistry , environmental science , sorption , anatomy
Aims: The aim was to investigate the biosorption of chromium, nickel and iron from metallurgical effluents, produced by a steel foundry, using a strain of Aspergillus terreus immobilized in polyurethane foam. Methods and Results: A. terreus UFMG‐F01 was immobilized in polyurethane foam and subjected to biosorption tests with metallurgical effluents. Maximal metal uptake values of 164·5 mg g −1 iron, 96·5 mg g −1 chromium and 19·6 mg g −1 nickel were attained in a culture medium containing 100% of effluent stream supplemented with 1% of glucose, after 6 d of incubation. Conclusions: Microbial populations in metal‐polluted environments include fungi that have adapted to otherwise toxic concentrations of heavy metals and have become metal resistant. In this work, a strain of A. terreus was successfully used as a metal biosorbent for the treatment of metallurgical effluents. Significance and Impact of the Study: A. terreus UFMG‐F01 was shown to have good biosorption properties with respect to heavy metals. The low cost and simplicity of this technique make its use ideal for the treatment of effluents from steel foundries.