BIOSORPTION OF CADMIUM AND LEAD USING MICROALGAE SPIRULINA SP. ISOLATED FROM KOYA CITY (IRAQ)
P.M. ABDULKAREEM, Sewgil S. Anwer
Abstract
The alternative to the traditional method for heavy metal uptake is biosorption. The potential of Spirulina sp. for biosorption of waste effluent was examined. In this study, morphology and molecular features of microalgae Spirulina sp. isolated from Koya city were identified on. The rate of biosorption of cadmium (Cd +2 ) and lead (Pb +2 ) were studied by using a spectrophotometer. The optimum uptake for both metals Cd +2 and Pb +2 showed at low metal concentration of 100 mgl -1 88.8% and 93.6%, respectively. Spirulina sp. showed the ability to remove metals at all pH values 38.1% and 85.8% for Cd +2 and 34.6% and 88.4% for the Pb +2 with maximum uptake at 30 C 85.7% for Cd and Pb optimum uptake was 88.4%. Optimum removal showed at agitation rate 150 rpm 87.1) in Cd +2 , and Pb +2 optimum adsorption at 150 rpm was 89.9%. Both metals showed optimum adsorption at 1.5 g l -1 of algal biomass, Cd +2 removed 86.7%, and Pb +2 89.2%. Pb +2 showed the best performance for metal biosorption.