The most influential factors on the adsorption of heavy metals by dry biomass the Kluyveromyces Marxianus CCEBI 2011

Abstract

In this work, the most influential factors on the adsorption capacity of the dry biomass of Kluyveromyces marxianus CCEBI 2011 were determined on the removal efficiency of copper (II), zinc (II), and manganese (II) present in the waters of Laguna Azul del Cobre in Santiago de Cuba. Adsorption experiments used 0, 25 gL-1 of biomass, 3 pH levels (4, 4, 5,0 and 6, 2), as well as 3 levels of copper (II), zinc metal concentrations (II) and manganese (II) and five contact times (15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 min). The concentrations of the metals were determined by ICP in the "Elio Trincado" Laboratory of the Geominera Oriente Company. Of the 3 pH levels studied, the one with the best performance was of 6, 2. The tests at the studied concentrations showed significant differences in the percentages of removal, showed a better behavior at lower concentrations, obtaining for copper (II), zinc (II), and manganese (II) removal rates of 74,0 %; 98,8 % and 55 % in concentrations of 25, 2 and 10 mg.L-1, respectively. The dry biomass of Kluyveromyces marxianus CCEBI 2011 was able to remove by 52, 23 and 14 % copper (II), zinc (II) and manganese (II) respectively, present in waters of the Laguna Azul del Cobre, removal values lower than those achieved with synthetic solutions. The results show the influence of pH in the adsorption process.