Volume 7, number 2

Effect of Heavy Metals to Bacterial Culture and the Removal of Heavy Metals from an Industrial Effluent

P. Sannasi1*, S. Salmijah2 and J. Kader2

Faculty of Applied Science, INTI International University, Persiaran Perdana BBN, Putra Nilai, 71800 Nilai, N. Sembilan Malaysia.

2Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia- 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor D.E. Malaysia.

Corresponding Author E-mail:palsan.abdullah@newinti.edu.my

ABSTRACT: This paper reports the capability of consortium culture (CC) comprising of an acclimatized mixed bacterial culture to withstand the toxic effect of Cr(VI), Cu, and Pb, at 1, 10, 100 mg/l and its uptake, and to remove heavy metals from an industrial effluent. Consortium culture displayed good heavy metal resistance (75-84.6%) on nutrient agar. Inverse of heavy metal toxicity index, B (l/mg) reflected CC’s ability to tolerate Cr(VI) concentration of up to 507.6 mg/l, followed by Pb at 348.43 mg/l and Cu at 243.90 mg/l. High metal uptake capacity was observed at 1 mg/l (q = 4.47-10.33 mg/g), 10 mg/l (q = 29.27-96.07 mg/g) and 100 mg/ (q = 85.28-175.02 mg/g) in nutrient broth. Overall, metal toxicity was in the order Cu > Pb > Cr(VI), and metal uptake was Pb > Cu > Cr(VI). X-ray fluorescence screening indicated the abundance of Ca, K, P, and S on the biomass. Heavy metal removal study demonstrated that CC was able to grow in waste effluent which was not subjected to any pre-treatment or nutrient addition. Significantly higher metal removal in the range of 92-97.5% (P < 0.05) was obtained for Cd, Cr(VI), Cu, Ni, and Pb with CC. Furthermore, CC was able to thrive and compete in the presence of indigenous microbial population with no apparent decrease in metal removal capability. In conclusion, results establish the feasibility of employing CC to remove heavy metals from industrial effluents and support the development of a bacterium-based integrated waste treatment system.

KEYWORDS: Consortium culture; metal removal; metal resistant; metal uptake; industrial effluent

Copy the following to cite this article:

Sannasi P, Salmijah S, and Kader J. Effect of Heavy Metals to Bacterial Culture and the Removal of Heavy Metals from an Industrial Effluent. Biosci Biotechnol Res Asia 2010;7(2)
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Sannasi P, Salmijah S, and Kader J. Effect of Heavy Metals to Bacterial Culture and the Removal of Heavy Metals from an Industrial Effluent. Biosci Biotechnol Res Asia 2010;7(2). Available from: https://www.biotech-asia.org/?p=8814

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