Biosorptive flotation for metal ions recovery

The solid/liquid separation of suspended. metals-loaded biomass was studied extensively by successfully applying flotation. Industrial non-living biom ass samples of different origin have been tried in the laboratory as sorben ts of metal ions, with the main stress on Streptomyces rimosus, an effectiv e actinomyces. Flotation was used as the harvesting technique downstream, f ollowing the biosorption stage. Important parameters of the investigation w ere the solution pH, the surfactant type and concentration, the applied mod ification of biomass, etc. The reuse and recycling of biosorbent following elution was proved possible. As a result cleaned water was produced as unde rflow of the flotation process.