Biosorption and bioaccumulation - the prospects for practical applications

The paper summarizes the present and future course of biosorption and bioaccumulation, as the branch of science, pointing out on their basic assumptions, philosophy and the goals. The processes are presented as new tools for separation technologies of XXI century. The paper is the discussion with the literature on the future prospects of those processes, pointing out that research should be oriented on the practical applications, in order to make technologies from the processes and also discusses other than environmental possible future applications. It presents an own point of view on these techniques, after some years of working in this very area. Biosorption and bioaccumulation, involve interactions and concentration of toxic metals or organic pollutants (e.g. dyes) in the biomass, either living (bioaccumulation) or non-living (biosorption). The processes play an important role in natural cycling of matter in the environment. The paper discusses the possibilities which offer research on pollutants-biomass interactions, pointing out that the key to elaborate an efficient method working for the nature would be to understand the mechanisms governing the processes, parameters which influence both equilibrium and kinetics, through the observation of naturally occurring phenomena. Only then we would be able to control and carry out under industrial regime, so the processes would work beneficially for the environment. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.