Many algae have immense capability to sorb metals, and there is considerable potential for using them to treat wastewaters. Metal sorption involves binding on the cell surface and to intracellular ligands. The adsorbed metal is several times greater than intracellular metal. Carboxyl group is most important for metal binding. Concentration of metal and biomass in solution, pH, temperature, cations, anions and metabolic stage of the organism affect metal sorption. Algae can effectively remove metals from multi-metal solutions. Dead cells sorb more metal than live cells. Various pretreatments enhance metal sorption capacity of algae. CaCl2 pretreatment is the most suitable and economic method for activation of algal biomass. Algal periphyton has great potential for removing metals from wastewaters. An immobilized or granulated biomass-filled column can be used for several sorption/desorption cycles with unaltered or slightly decreased metal removal. Langmuir and Freundlich models, commonly used for fitting sorption data, cannot precisely describe metal sorption since they ignore the effect of pH, biomass concentration, etc. For commercial application of algal technology for metal removal from wastewaters, emphasis should be given to: (i) selection of strains with high metal sorption capacity, (ii) adequate understanding of sorption mechanisms, (iii) development of low-cost methods for cell immobilization, (iv) development of better models for predicting metal sorption, (v) genetic manipulation of algae for increased number of surface groups or over expression of metal binding proteins, and (vi) economic feasibility.

Use of Algae for Removing Heavy Metal Ions From Wastewater: Progress and Prospects

Biosorption of Cr3+, Cd2+ and Cu2+ ions by blue-green algae Spirulina sp : kinetics, equilibrium and the mechanism of the process

Biosorption of Cu2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ using dried marine green macroalga Caulerpa lentillifera

Biosorption of cadmium by brown, green, and red seaweeds

Due to overgrowth in population, industrialization and civilization, demands for water are increasing geometrically. Therefore, alternative sources of water are required and wastewater treatment and recycling may serve this purpose. Among various water treatment technologies, adsorption onto activated carbon is in the front line due to its universal nature. Activated carbon is the best adsorbent able to capture inorganic, as well as organic, pollutants that contaminate water resources. Inorganic pollutants, especially metal ions, are more dangerous due to their toxic and possibly carcinogenic natures. Also they are most often persistent and difficult to biodegrade. The present article describes the quest to find an economically viable substitute to active carbon adsorbent to remove toxic metal ions. A brief discussion of design of batch and column adsorption experiments, development of inexpensive adsorbents, and experimental conditions of metal ions removal by batch and column procedures is included. Eff...

K. H. Chu

Papers

Biosorption of cadmium by algal biomass: adsorption and desorption characteristics