Bioremediation of zirconium from aqueous solution by coriolus versicolor: Process optimization

In the present study the potential of live mycelia of coriolus versicolor was explored for the removal of zirconium from simulated aqueous solution. optimum experimental parameters for the bioremediation of zirconium using c. versicolor biomass have been investigated by studying the effect of mycelia dose,concentration of zirconium,contact time and temperature. the isothermal studies indicated that the ongoing bioremediation process was exothermic in nature and obeyed langmuir adsorption isotherm model. the gibbs free energy (δg),entropy (δs) and enthalpy (δh) of bioremediation were also determined. the result showed that bioremediation of zirconium by live c. versicolor was feasible and spontaneous at room temperature. the equilibrium data verified the involvement of chemisorption during the bioremediation. the kinetic data indicated the operation of pseudo-second order process during the biosorption of zirconium from aqueous solution. maximum bioremediation capacity (110.75 mg/g) of c. versicolor was observed under optimum operational conditions: ph 4.5,biomass dose 0.05 mg/100 ml,contact time 6 h and temperature 30 °c. the results showed that c. versicolor could be used for bioremediation of heavy metal ions from aqueous systems.