Engineered staphylococcus aureus via immobilization on magnetic Fe3O4-phthalate nanoparticles for biosorption of divalent ions from aqueous solutions

Nowadays, technology based on immobilization becomes a creative point of research especially when iron oxide nanoparticles are involved. In this respect, a novel biosorbent is designed and synthesized based on the reaction of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles, n-Fe3O4, with phthalic acid as a surface coating and protection material and the product n-Fe3O4-Phth was treated with Staphylococcus aureus, S. aureus, for the formation of n-Fe3O4-Phth-S. aureus. Surface characterization was confirmed using the SEM and FT-IR studies. A batch study was implemented to compare and optimize the biosorption process using n-Fe3O4-Phth S. aureus versus dried S. aureus for removal of Pb(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II). The maximum biosorption capacity values were characterized in the following order Pb(II) > Ni(II) > Cu(II) as 1355, 985 and 795 mmol g(-1), respectively by n-Fe3O4-Phth S. aureus biosorbent. The two examined biosorbents were found highly selective for Pb(II) and the maximum percentage removal values of Pb(II) from real samples, viz. sea water, drinking tap water and industrial wastewater were identified as 100.0, 99.4 and 95.2%, respectively using n-Fe3O4-Phth-S. aureus biosorbent. The collected results from this study illustrate that Fe3O4-Phth-S. aureus is a very attractive biosorbent for efficient removal of Pb(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) from contaminated aqueous solutions. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.