Biosorption of Toxic Elements from Multicomponent Solutions by Microfungal Biomass

Abstract

The results of experiments on sorption of toxic elements from multicomponent solutions by microfungal biomass are presented. In the elements group extraction processes the species and strain specificity of micromycetes manifests itself. Talaromyces funiculosus biomass possesses the highest (1.5–3 times higher) sorption indicators compared to Cladosporium cladosporioides and Trichoderma aureoviride. Within each species, the strains, isolated from technogenic substrates, are also characterized by higher sorption indicators. The affinity of chemical elements to fungal biomass as a sorbent corresponds to the following series: Bi ≈ Sn ≈ Pb ≈ Fe > Hg ≈ (Sb) ≥ Cr ≥ Cd > Cu ≈ Se > Zn ≈ V ≥ Co ≈ Mn ≈ As ≈ Ni ≈ Sr ≈ (Sb). The use of the analytical scanning electron microscopy has made it possible to detect particles of various composition and morphology on fungal biomass. The mechanism of their formation is proposed.