Heavy metal removal from aqueous solution using sodium alginate immobilized sulfate reducing bacteria: Mechanism and process optimization.

Heavy metal removal was evaluated using sodium alginate immobilized sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) under batch and continuous mode. Under batch conditions, more than 95% metal removal was achieved due to formation of insoluble metal sulfides exterior to the bead surface. Best heavy metal removal results were obtained at 48 h hydraulic retention time (HRT).

Zn(II) and Cu(II) removal by Nostoc muscorum: a cyanobacterium isolated from a coal mining pit in Chiehruphi, Meghalaya, India.

Nostoc muscorum was isolated from a coal mining pit in Chiehruphi, Meghalaya, India, and its potential to remove Zn(II) and Cu(II) from media and the various biochemical alterations it undergoes during metal stress were studied. Metal uptake measured as a function of the ions removed by N. muscorum from media supplemented independently with 20 μmol/L ZnSO4 and CuSO4 established the ability of this cyanobacterium to remove 66% of Zn(2+) and 71% of Cu(2+) within 24 h of contact time.