Cadmium removal from diluted wastewater by using high-phosphorus-culture modified microalgae

In this study, living algae Didymogenes palatina XR was cultured in high-phosphorus medium for efficient Cd2+ immobilization from diluted wastewater solution. Algae cultivated from different phosphorus concentration medium was used to investigate its production and adsorption performances of Cd2+. This study showed that microalgae is sensitive to low concentration of heavy metal Cd, and different concentrations of phosphorus culture could regulate the surface phosphorus loading of microalgae to enhance its adsorption ability of Cd2+. The Cd2+ was further immobilized with the algae surface phosphorus group, such as ?PO43- , ?HPO4-, forming metallic mineral Cd-phosphate.

Automated summary

This study demonstrated that living algae cultured in high-phosphorus medium can efficiently immobilize Cd2+ from diluted wastewater solution. Different phosphorus concentrations affected the production and adsorption performances of Cd2+ in the algae, with microalgae showing sensitivity to low concentrations of the heavy metal. Varying phosphorus concentrations regulated the surface phosphorus loading of microalgae, enhancing its adsorption ability of Cd2+ through the formation of Cd-phosphate mineral.