Journal
BIODEGRADATION
Volume 20, Issue 5, Pages 629-641Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10532-009-9250-6
Keywords
Microalgae; Accumulation; Bioremediation; pH; Metal uptake
Categories
Funding
- Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia
- Fundo Social Europeu
- Ministerio da Agricultura, Desenvolvimento Rural e Pescas
- [SFRH/BD/9332/2002]
- [SFRH/BPD/34585/2007]
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia [SFRH/BPD/34585/2007] Funding Source: FCT
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Microalgae have been proven efficient biological vectors for heavy metal uptake. In order to further study their biosorption potential, a strain of Desmodesmus pleiomorphus (L) was isolated from a strongly contaminated industrial site in Portugal. Under different initial Zn2+ concentrations, metal removal by that strain reached a maximum of 360 mg Zn/g biomass after 7 days, at 30 mg Zn/l, after an initial rapid phase of uptake. Comparative studies were carried out using a strain of the same microalgal species that is commercially available (ACOI 561): when exposed to 30 mg Zn/l, it could remove only 81.8 mg Zn/g biomass. Biosorption experiments using inactivated biomass of the isolated strain reached a maximum Zn2+ uptake of 103.7 mg/g. Metal removal at various initial pH values was studied as well; higher removal was obtained at pH 5.0. The microalga strain L, isolated from the contaminated site, exhibited a much higher removal capacity than the commercial strain, and the living biomass yielded higher levels of metal removal than its inactivated form.
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