Biosorption of copper from wastewater by Bacillus subtilis in a packed bed bioreactor

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Research Paper 01/11/2012
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Biosorption of copper from wastewater by Bacillus subtilis in a packed bed bioreactor

Korrapati Narasimhulu, Y. Pydi Setty
J. Biodiv. & Environ. Sci. 2(11), 23-30, November 2012.
Copyright Statement: Copyright 2012; The Author(s).
License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Abstract

The potential for copper (Cu2+) reduction in a fixed-film bioreactor system was investigated using a copper reducing bacterial species Bacillus subtilis. This work on the process of biosorption of copper from wastewater in a continuous-flow, fixed packed-bed bioreactor was conducted in a search for solution to the environmental problem caused by heavy metals. The Cu2+ bearing solution with initial concentration in the range of 50 – 150 mg/L was continuously pumped downward into the column. The Cu2+ loading rates were ranged from 180 to 900 ml/h. Analysis of the results demonstrated that the biosorbent had an extraordinary capacity for biosorption of copper (II) studied at about 4.5 pH of the effluent, with a removal percentage of 71.2% and 63.2% for the two immobilization methods used. Agar immobilized Bacillus subtilis biomass was found to be more efficient than polyacrylamide immobilized biomass in the packed bed bioreactor.

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