Biosorption of gold by immobilized fungal biomass
Abstract
The characteristics of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and calcium alginate as immobilization matrices were examined and compared for the uptake of gold by a fungal biomass. PVA-immobilized biomass showed superior mechanical strength and chemical stability. In addition, PVA beads were also stable under a wider range of pH (1-13). The lower mass transfer resistance in PVA beads was evident from kinetic studies which showed a significantly shorter period of time for the immobilized PVA beads to achieve 80% gold removal as compared with immobilized alginate beads. Calculated rate constants and maximum rates for the uptake of gold by both immobilized PVA and immobilized alginate biosorbent revealed a much more rapid uptake phenomenon by the former. BET analyses also indicated a larger surface area and larger pore size distribution in PVA beads, further indicating a lower resistance to mass transfer. Gold biosorption in the immobilized PVA bead could be modeled by both the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms.
- Publication:
-
Biochemical Engineering Journal
- Pub Date:
- 2001
- DOI:
- 10.1016/S1369-703X(00)00134-0
- Bibcode:
- 2001BioEJ...8...51K
- Keywords:
-
- Alginate;
- Biosorption;
- Fomitopsis carnea;
- Gold;
- Polyvinyl alcohol