Removal of heavy metals using a brewer’s yeast strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: advantages of using dead biomass

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2009

Authors

M. D. Machado (Author) Other; S. Janssens (Author) Other; H. M. V. M. Soares (Author) FEUP; E. V. Soares (Author) Other

Journal

Title: JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY

Vol. 106 No. 6

Pages: 1792-1804

ISSN: 1364-5072

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 44 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 60 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Other engineering and technologies

CORDIS: Technological sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-JNA

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2009.04170.x

Abstract (EN): Aim: The capacities of live and heat-killed cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 45 degrees C for the removal of copper, nickel and zinc from the solution were compared. Methods and Results: Kinetic studies have shown a maximum accumulation of Ni(2+) and Zn(2+) after 10 min for both types of cells, while for Cu(2+) this was attained after 30 and 60 min for dead and live cells, respectively. Equilibrium studies have shown that inactivated biomass displayed a greater Zn(2+) and N(2+) accumulation than live yeasts. For Cu(2+), live and dead cells showed similar accumulation. Fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy studies have shown that no appreciable structural or molecular changes occurred in the cells during the killing process. The increased metal uptake observed in dead cells can be most likely explained by the loss of membrane integrity, which allows the exposition of further metal-binding sites present inside the cells. Conclusions: Heat-killed cells showed a higher degree of heavy metal removal than live cells, being more suitable for further bioremediation works.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific