COMPARISON OF THE HEAVY-METAL SORPTIVE PROPERTIES OF 3 TYPES OF IMMOBILIZED, NONVIABLE SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE BIOMASS

Three preparations of immobilized, non-viable Saccharomyces cerevisiae were produced and tested with respect to their metal accumulating pro perties and mechanical stability. The biomass preparations PVA Na-algi nate, PVA Na-orthophosphate and PEI:GA biomass all exhibited excellent mechanical stability. In contrast, the ability of the PEI:GA biomass to remove Cu2+ from solution exceeded that of the PVA based biomass. D ue to the ion exchange nature of metal biosorption, Cu2+ accumulation from the effluent was influenced by the pH of the influent solution. A low influent pH (pH 1.4) resulted in low breakthrough volumes occurri ng, whilst this critical point was increased at higher influent pH. (C ) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.