engleski

Removal of heavy metals and phosphates from wastewater by bioparticles

The aim of the study was to design bioparticles which could tolerate exposure to high concentrations of heavy metal ions (copper, zinc and nickel) and simultaneously remove heavy metals and phosphates from wastewater. Since natural zeolitic tuff is non toxic, easily available and relatively cheap material with high ion exchange capacity, it has been chosen as a carrier material for bioparticles. The bacteria used for creation of bioparticles were Acinetobacter junii, a known phosphate accumulating bacterium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from metalworking fluids. We created two types of bioparticles: with immobilised A. junii and with immobilised P. aeruginosa. Results showed that immobilised bacteria in form of bioparticles were more tolerant to heavy metal toxicity, and removed significantly more metals than planktonic bacteria. Bioparticles with A. junii and bioparticles with P. aeruginosa could survive, multiply and remove heavy metals and phosphates when in the same system. The highest removal rates for heavy metals and phosphates were obtained in experiment with real wastewater using combination of both types of bioparticles. Bioparticles composed of immobilised bacteria A. junii and P. aeruginosa on natural zeolitic tuff could be used to simultaneously remove heavy metals and phosphates from wastewater.

bacteria ; bioparticles ; zeolite ; wastewater

nije evidentirano