COMPARATIVE HEAVY-METAL BIOSORPTION STUDY OF BREWERY YEAST AND MYXOCOCCUS-XANTHUS BIOMASS

The biosorption for La2+, Co2+, Mn2+, UO22+, Pb2+, Ag+, Zn2+, Cd2+ and Cr2+ by wet and dry biomass form Myxococcus xanthus obtained from lab oratory cultures and Saccharomyces cerevisiae from the brewing industr y has been studied. M. xanthus biomass was found to be the most effici ent biosorbent for all of the metals assayed. However, due to the fact that S. cerevisiae is a low cost residual by-product from the brewing industry, and at the same time yields good levels of biosorption, it is considered in this work to be of great interest for use as a detoxi fier of heavy metals contaminated waters. In addition, the use of sodi um carbonate as a desorbent agent is discussed where it was possible t o recover up to 94,53 % of UO22+ by both M. xanthus and S. cerevisiae biomass. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.