Removal of Disperse Red 60 dye from aqueous solution using free and composite fungal biomass of Lentinus concinnus

Lentinus concinnus biomass was immobilized to carboxyl derivative of cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), in the presence of FeCl3 (0.1 mol L-1) via ionic cross-linking. The beads containing immobilized fungal biomass were incubated at 30 degrees C for three days to permit growth of the fungus. The free and immobilized fungal biomass were tested for adsorption of Disperse Red 60 (DR-60) from aqueous solution using bare CMC beads as a control system. The maximum adsorption of DR-60 on the free and immobilized fungal biomass was observed at pH 6.0. The adsorption of DR-60 by the free, and immobilized fungal biomass increased as the initial concentration of DR-60 in the medium increased up to 100 mg/L. The maximum adsorption capacity of the CMC beads, the free and immobilized fungal biomass (i.e. composite beads) were found to be 43.4, 65.7, and 92.6 mg g(-1) dry sorbents, respectively. The equilibrium of the adsorption system was well described by Langmuir and Temkin isotherm models. Adsorption equilibrium was established in about 1.0 h. The adsorption of DR-60 on the fungal preparations followed pseudo-second-order kinetic model. It was observed that the immobilized fungal biomass has a high potential for the removal of DR-60 as a model dye from aqueous solution.