Removal of chromium, copper and nickel from an electroplating effluent using a flocculent brewer’s yeast strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2010

Authors

Manuela D. Machado (Author) Other; Helena M.V.M Soares (Author) FEUP; Eduardo V. Soares (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution

Pages: 199-204

ISSN: 0049-6979

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 22 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 31 Citations

INSPEC

COMPENDEX

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Other engineering and technologies

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-2QX

DOI: 10.1007/s11270-010-0332-1

Abstract (EN): The release of heavy metals in aquatic systems due to the discharge of industrial wastewaters is a matter of environmental concern. Heat-inactivated cells of a flocculent strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were used in the bioremediation, in a batch mode, of a real electroplating effluent containing Cu, Ni, and Cr. In this approach, no previous reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) was required. Cr(VI) was selectively removed (98%) by yeast biomass at pH 2.3. At this pH, Cr(VI) is mainly in the form of HCrO 4 - and yeast surface is surrounded by H+ ions, which enhance the Cr(VI) interaction with biomass binding sites by electrostatic forces. Subsequently, pH of the effluent was raised up to 6.0; this pH maximizes the efficiency of cations removal since at this pH the main binding groups of yeast cells are totally or partially deprotonated. The passage of effluent through a series of sequential batches, at pH 6.0, allowed, after the third batch, the removal of Cu(II), Ni (II), Cr total, and Cr(VI) in the effluent to values below the legal limit of discharge. The strategy proposed in the present work can be used in plants for the treatment of heavy metals rich industrial effluents containing simultaneously Cr(VI) and Cr(III).

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific