title: Biosorption of americium-241 by immobilized Rhizopus arrihizus.
abstract: Rhizopus arrihizus (R. arrihizus), a fungus, which in previous experiments had shown encouraging ability to remove 241Am from solutions, was immobilized by calcium alginate and other reagents. The various factors affecting 241Am biosorption by the immobilized R. arrihizus were investigated. The results showed that not only can immobilized R. arrihizus adsorb 241Am as efficiently as free R. arrihizus, but that also can be used repeatedly or continuously. The biosorption equilibrium was achieved within 2 h, and more than 94% of 241Am was removed from 241Am solutions of 1.08 MBq/l by immobilized R. arrihizu in the pH range 1-7. Temperature did not affect the adsorption on immobilized R. arrihizus in the range 15-45 degrees C. After repeated adsorption for 8 times, the immobilized R. arrihizus still adsorbed more than 97% of 241Am. At this time, the total adsorption of 241Am was more than 88.6 KBq/g, and had not yet reached saturation. Ninety-five percent of the adsorbed 241Am was desorbed by saturated EDTA solution and 98% by 2 mol/l HNO(3).
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Radiation Physics and Technology of Education Ministry of China, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, People's Republic of China. liaojiali@163.com
authors.forename: Jiali
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Yuanyou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shunzhong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jiannan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Taiming
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Pengji
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000576:Americium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D018914:Cells, Immobilized / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D012233:Rhizopus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D000576:Americium