The Pb(II) and Ni(II) biosorption of a fungal
biomass isolated from mine drainage of metal-processing
industries in Balya (Balıkesir province, Turkey) was optimized
using a response surface methodology by altering
parameters such as pH, initial metal concentration, contact
time and biosorbent dosage. This strain was shown to be
highly similar to
Penicillium
sp. Furthermore, zeta potential
measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
were performed to understand the adsorption
mechanism. A Box–Behnken design with 29 experiments
was used to evaluate the interactions between independent
variables. The results showed that the fungal biomass isolated
from the metal mine drainage could have a significant
environmental impact through the biosorption of Pb(II) and
Ni(II) in waters polluted with heavy metals, particularly in
the drainage from metal mines. The maximum removal
values were 76 and 47 % at pH 4.5 for both Pb(II) and
Ni(II), with 123 and 33 mg/L initial metal concentrations,
65 and 89 min contact times and 0.2 and 1.6 g/L biosorbent,
respectively.
