Biosorption of lead(II), nickel(II), and copper(II) on Rhizopus arrhizus from binary and ternary metal mixtures

The biosorption of three divalent metal ions [Pb(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II)] frequently encountered together in industrial waste waters and in binary and ternary systems was studied using Rhizopus arrhizus, a filamentous fungus, in batch stirred reactors. The multimetal biosorption data were evaluated in terms of equilibrium isotherms and adsorption yields. The single-metal equilibrium data were analyzed using the Freundlich adsorption model. The individual Freundlich adsorption constants were determined and used to compare biosorptive capacity of the microorganism for different metal ions. The effects of various combinations of the metal ions on the biosorption capacity of R. arrhizus are discussed and the actions of the synergistic or antagonistic metal ion combinations were determined. For the two-metal adsorption equilibrium, competitive adsorption isotherms have been also developed. The six-parameter empirical Freundlich model, restricted to bicomponent systems, was used successfully to characterize simultaneous biosorption of Pb(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) ions by R. arrhizus from two-metal systems. The biosorption capacity of Pb(II) in the two binary and one ternary systems, in agreement with the single-metal data, was greater than that of the Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions. The relative capacities were Pb(II) > Ni(II) > Cu(II) at pH 5.0 in single, binary, and ternary systems.