Fungal Biosorption of Heavy Metals from Industrial Waste

M. Ramesh¹, K. Subramanian²*, P. Kishore kumar^1 
1Department of Biotechnology, P.S.R Engineering College, Sivakasi-626140, Tamilnadu, India.
²Professor & Head, Department of Biotechnology, P.S.R Engineering College, Sivakasi-626140, Tamilnadu, India NCADDD, 25 July 2014, Organized by Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Anna University,
BIT Campus, Tiruchirappalli–620024, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract
Heavy metal contamination in ground water resources and in air is a major problem today which requires appropriate treatment before discharge into environment. Extensive use of Heavy metals in various industrial applications has cause sustainable environmental contamination. Some of these metals are useful when it is in low concentration but in nature mostly it may exceed the recommended level. Biosorption is proposed as an ideal method of removing heavy metals before discharge into the environment. Microorganisms play a significant role in biosorption of heavy metal from contaminated soil and water ecosystem. In the present study heavy metal tolerant filamentous fungi was isolated from automobile industry waste disposal area. Among the fungi isolated from industry soil which was identified as Aspergillus species, showed tolerance to chromium, nickel, ferrous, zinc, and lead. This selection is based in the fact that these metals are discharged in many of the industries electroplating, detergents, oil refining and others. The dominant heavy metal resistant fungi were isolated by the serial dilution and spread plate method in potato dextrose agar. The identified organism was culture at sabouraud dextrose agar and the heavy metal tolerance concentration assay was determined from the isolated organism. Hence the isolated organism of Aspergillus speciesis capable of bioaccumulating Chromium, Nickel, Ferric, Zinc, and lead metals. The above strains may be exploited for bioremediation strategy, of cleanup of contaminated sites.
Keywords: Heavy metals, Aspergillus, biosorption, fungi, microorganisms.