Biosorption of Cd(II) by Nordic microalgae: Tolerance, kinetics and equilibrium studies

The amount of heavy metals released into the environment has significantly increased. Industrial wastewaters, e.g. from mining or battery manufacturing, are often polluted with such as Cd, Cr Pb. These threat and can cause health problems even at low concentrations. Therefore, their proper removal industrial wastewater before its disposal is paramount importance (Javanbakht et al. [1]). Here ability fourteen wild Nordic microalgal strains to remove cadmium (Cd(II)) aqueous solutions been studied. Three chosen strains, namely Chlorella vulgaris (13-1), Coelastrella sp. (3-4) Scenedesmus obliquus (13-8), demonstrated high tolerance towards Cd(II) concentrations up 2.5 mg L−1 sorption kinetics equilibrium were Metal by (13-1) was described best pseudo-second order kinetics, whereas (13-8) fitted intraparticle diffusion model. Starting an initial concentration removed 72% 82%, respectively, within only 24 h. Modeling equilibria revealed that SIPS- Dubinin-Radushkevich models suited for living microalgae, maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) calculated. While able about 49 g−1 65 Cd(II), around 25 g−1. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses biomass carboxylic moieties cell wall be key player in removal. This study demonstrates potential microalgae conditions relevant tertiary treatment unit will support development new, biobased, innovative technologies bioremediation metal streams.