Biosorption of heavy metals by dead biomass of Mucor hiemalis Wehmer and Trichoderma viride Pers. in separate and consortium systems.

Mucor hiemalis , Trichoderma viride biomasses and their consortium were assayed as biosorbents of heavy metals in liquids. The influence of initial metal concentration, biomass concentration, pH and contact time on their biosorption capacity to Fe, Pb and Cd were investigated in separate and consortium cultures. The increase in biosorption rate occurs with the increase of initial metal ion concentration, as long as binding sites are unsaturated. Sorption isotherms follow the non-linear Langmuir adsorption principle. The maximal uptake of Fe, Pb and Cd (100 ppm) was 50.77±0.78, 45.20±0.50 and 32.69±0.55 mg/g; 63.39±1.74, 57.38±0.40, and 37.03±0.56 mg/g and 70.41±0.43, 61.69±0.46, and 40.13±0.59 mg/g, for M. hiemalis , Tr. viride and their consortium respectively. Maximum efficiency of biosorption occurs at 200 mg. The highest uptake of Fe, Pb and Cd by M. hiemalis appears at pH 4, while for Tr. viride and their consortium the highest uptake occurs at pH 6. Each fungus has a specific contact time for Fe, Pb and Cd max biosorption. The highest uptake was occurred at 15 min for M. hiemalis . but for Tr. viride , highest uptake occurs at 20 min. In consortium experiment, the highest uptake of Fe and Pb occurs at 20 min but for Cd at 30 min. Generally, biosorption of metal ions proceeds rapidly during the initial 15 min. of contact and then slow down with time and become stable after 30 and 60 min. Based on Qmax values, Tr. viride , M. hiemalis and their consortium are worthy biosorbents of Fe, Pb and Cd.