Mercury(II) removal from aqueous solutions by nonviable Bacillus sp. from a tropical estuary.
Use of microorganisms for removing mercury is an effective technology for the treatment of industrial wastewaters and can become an effective tool for the remediation of man-impacted coastal ecosystems with this metal. Nonviable biomass of an estuarine Bacillus sp. was employed for adsorbing Hg(II) ions from aqueous solutions at six different concentrations. It was observed that 0.2 g dry weight of nonviable biomass was found to remove from 0.023 mg (at 0.25 mg L(-1) of Hg(II)) to 0.681 mg (at 10.0 mg L(-1) of Hg(II)). Most of the mercury adsorption occurred during the first 20 min. It was found that changes in pH have a significant effect on the metal adsorption capacity of the bacteria, with the optimal pH value between 4.5 and 6.0 at 25 degrees C when solutions with 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 mg L(-1) of Hg(II) were used.
Green-Ruiz
Carlos
C
Mazatlán Academic Unit, Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Col. Centro, Sin., México. cgreen@ola.icmyl.unam.mx
D001407:Bacillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D018533:Biomass; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D008628:Mercury / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D008800:Mexico; D012996:Solutions; D014329:Tropical Climate; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods
D012996:Solutions; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury