Optimization of Fungal Biomass Growth and the Mechanism Study for Biosorption of Lead (II) Ions by Aspergillus Niger and Penicillium Spp.

Ng, Khai Xi (2022) Optimization of Fungal Biomass Growth and the Mechanism Study for Biosorption of Lead (II) Ions by Aspergillus Niger and Penicillium Spp. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

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Abstract

Biosorption is known as the physiochemical and metabolically-independent process where the binding of biosorbates to the surface of biosorbents occurs. Fungal biomass is an effective and inexpensive biosorbent available in the market nowadays. The objective of this study is to successfully isolate the fungal species, Aspergillus niger and Pencillium spp. and to optimize their fungal biomass growth with different shaking speeds and temperatures. Moreover, this project aims to study the effect of initial metal ion concentration and contact time on the biosorption of lead (II) ions using the fungal biomass and, to characterize the lead (II) biosorption process. The fungal biomass growth was optimized with different shaking speeds, 50 RPM, 100 RPM, 150 RPM, 200 RPM and 250 RPM, and also different temperatures of 25℃, 30℃, 35℃, 40℃ and 45℃. The batch kinetic experiments on the grown fungal biomasses were conducted with different initial lead (II) ion concentrations of 20 ppm, 50 ppm and 100 ppm at different contact times which were 10 min, 20 min, 30 min, 45 min, 60 min, 90 min, 120 min, 180 min, 240 min and 300 min. The concentration of the remaining lead (II) ions in the sample solution were measured using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The biosorption process was characterized with Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis to determine the involved surface functional groups of the fungal biomass. The isolated fungal species were successfully identified via macroscopic and microscopic observation. The optimum shaking speed and temperature for biomass growth were at 150 RPM and 30℃ respectively. In general, Aspergillus niger showed a higher removal efficiency of lead (II) ions than Penicillium spp. The maximum removal efficiency by Aspergillus niger biomass was 30.5305 mg/g at 100 ppm whereas for Penicillium spp., the maximum removal efficiency for lead (II) ions was 14.723 mg/g at 50 ppm. The FTIR characterization of biosorption showed that various functional groups, mainly amino, carbonyl and hydroxyl groups which present on the fungal cell wall, were involved in lead (II) biosorption