Chromium Removal from Tannery Industry Waste Water by Fungus

Abstract

Fungus has the ability to take up Chromium during the stationary phase of growth. Response of live fungal strain to different chromium concentrations 100 to 500 ppm was investigated in laboratory scale at different time interval (72, 96 and 120 hr). Maximum biomass growth and chromium removal rate at pH, 5.0 was investigated, which is continuously increasing with time. Initially 0.04 g of live fungal biomass was added to the waste effluent having different concentration of Chromium (VI) (pH=5, temperature=28ºC, 150 rpm, and glucose as carbon source for fungus). As the Chromium (VI) concentration is increasing in the effluent the biomass growth and chromium removal rate were found as 0.54 g and 99.36% ; 0.34 g and 99.51% ; 0.34 g and 99.38% ; 0.24 g and 99.36% ; and 0.24 g and 99.82% respectively in 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm respectively at 4 days of incubation. Results indicated that, at 4th day the metal removal reached the maximum level 99.48%. Further incubation did not increase the metal uptake. More than half of Cr (VI) ions were diminished within 72 hr of contact with live fungal biomass. As we observed from the kinetics (first order kinetics), found that as the Cr6+ concentration is increasing in the effluent the adsorption capacity is decreased simultaneously. As we observe from our result the live fungal biomass is efficient for the removal of fungus.