Copper biosorption by Rhodococcus erythropolis isolated from the Sossego Mine - PA - Brazil

This work evaluates the copper biosorption capacity (Cu2+) by the biomass of a bacterium strain identified as Rhodococcus erythropolis isolated from copper mining environmental samples. The copper uptake was analyzed under different influences of pH, biomass concentration, and metal concentration. The total copper uptake was measured using ICP-OES and the metal adsorption capacity calculated by construction of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. R. erythropolis biomass is a potential material to treat and to remove copper from low concentration of aqueous contaminated effluents reaching a total absorption of 68.03 mg of Cu2+ per gram of biomass according to the Langmuir model at pH = 6, the optimal pH for maximum copper uptake. Our results showed a unique absorption rate when compared to other bacteria belonging to the Rhodococcus genus or even when compared to other bacteria genera able to adsorb metal from aqueous environments. (C) 2018 Brazilian Metallurgical, Materials and Mining Association. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda.