BATCH ZINC BIOSORPTION BY A BACTERIAL NONLIVING STREPTOMYCES RIMOSUS BIOMASS

Abstract

The zinc biosorption capacity of a Streptomyces rimosus biomass was studied in the batch mode. After a heat pretreatment, optimum conditions of biosorption were found to be: an average sat- uration contact time of 4 h, a biomass particle size between 140 and 250 mm, the ambient temperature, a stirring speed of 250 rpm, and pH of 7.5. The equilibrium data could be ®tted by a Langmuir iso- therm equation. Under these optimal conditions, up to 30 mgZn/gbiomass, was ®xed. Moreover, ad- ditional chemical treatment of the biomass by NaOH (1 mol/L), increased the biosorption capacity of about 80 mgZn/gbiomass. # 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved