Studies on the Biosorption Potential of Copper by Rhizopus arrhizus Biomass

Due to rapid industrialization and global urbanization, heavy metal pollution of water reservoirs is a severe environmental threat. Moreover, the removal of these heavy metal ions of copper from the wastewaters using conventional methods are costly, time taking, and less effective. Whereas, biosorption proved as a better alternative technique over the traditional methods for the removal of metal ions from the water bodies. Biological materials or biosorbents have been used for the adsorption of metal ions from the aquatic system. Therefore, Rhizopus arrhizus (living biomass) for the biosorption of copper (Cu) metal was used as biosorbent in the present investigation. The pH and temperature at which biosorption occurs are critical. In case of R. arrhizus the maximum adsorption was recorded at pH 7.0, and a temperature of 35°C.Whereas, the maximum adsorption capacity (Q value) of 100 mg biomass of Rhizopus arrhizus was observed as 94.46 % at 80 ppm concentration. The maximum adsorption capacity of 200 mg biomass of test fungi was reported as 97.32 % at the metal concentration of 80 ppm. Maximum Q value (biosorption capacity, i.e. mg metal per g biosorbent) was 37.785 mg/g at an 80-ppm concentration in case of 100 mg biomass. In the case of 200 mg biomass, the maximum Q value was 19.464 mg/g observed at 80 ppm concentration. Overall, the present study showed that 100 mg and 200 mg Rhizopus arrhizus biomass acts as an excellent adsorbing material for the adsorption of Cu metal ions.