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Abstract

Removal of chromium was investigated using an industrial waste fungus Rhizomucor tauricus dead mycelial biomass powder and also live biomass entrapped into alginate gel liquid curing method in the presence of Ca (II) ions. The binding capacity of immobilized dead powdered fungal biomass was very high comparative to live immobilized fungal biomass. The effect of initial chromium concentration, pH and temperature on chromium removal has been investigated. The maximum experimental biosorption capacities for entrapped live and dead powdered fungal of Rhizomucor tauricus were found to be 21.37 �± 1.2 mg Cd (II) g-1 and 51.29 �± 3.4 mg Cd (II) g-1 respectively. The kinetics of chromium biosorption was slow; approximately 75% of biosorption takes place in 2 �½ hours and the equilibrium time was noted as 3 �½ for both cases. The biosorption equilibrium data were well described by Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. The biosorbents were characterized and evaluated by the FTIR and X-ray diffraction for the responsible functional groups â��OH and â��NH2 in the biosorption process. Since binding capacities were relatively high for both immobilized live and dead powdered fungus forms, those fungal forms could be considered as suitable biosorbents for the removal of chromium in wastewater treatment.

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