BIOSORPTION OF LEAD(II) FROM AQUEOUS-SOLUTIONS BY PHELLINUS-BADIUS

Biosorption of heavy metal ions by fungi is an emerging technology wit h a potential for treating mineral processing waste water. This paper studies the possibility of using a macro-fungus, Phellinus badius, as an inexpensive adsorbent for the removal of lead from aqueous solution s. P. badius was found to have adsorption capacity for lead. At a solu tion pH of 5.0. lead uptake capacity of P. badius of 0.82 mmol/gram of sorbent (170 mg/g), which is much higher than those of a powdered act ivated carbon, a natural zeolite and other biomass types tested. The e quilibrium isotherm could be described well by the Langmuir equation. Contribution of H+ ion exchange to the total lead uptake was to the ex tent of 10%. The presence of light metal ions did not affect lead adso rption significantly. The metal binding was found to be rapid with 90% of the total adsorption occurring in 15 minutes. The feasibility of r emoving lead using the biomass in a fixed bed system was also examined . (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.