POTENTIAL USES OF IMMOBILIZED CELLS OF Fusarium oxysporium IN THE BIOSORPTION OF HEAVY METALS FROM TEXTILE WASTEWATER

Abstract

The effectiveness of immobilized cells of Fusarium oxysporium in the treatment of textile effluent as well as their ability to biosorp heavy metals was investigated. Textile wastewater from United Nigerian Textile Limited was seeded with F oxysporium cells in order to study their ability to reduced its pollution load before discharging into receiving water. Immobilized biomass of F oxsporium was inoculated into the textile effluent for 14 days and its efficiency in the treatment of textile wastewater was determined by the observed reductions in Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), as well as the removal of heavy metals after 14 days. During the retention time, a removal efficiency of between 42% to 95% for BOD, and 9.0% to 93.3% for COD was achieved. The biosorption capacities of F oxysporium for seven heavy metals ( Co,Pb,Cd,Zn,Mn,Fe and Cr) was demonstrated. The percentage removal for heavy metals is as follows: cobalt 100%, manganese 90%, iron 36%, chromium 92%, cadmium 50% , lead 35% and zinc 81%. From these results it may be concluded that F oxysporium has some potentials in the treatment of textile wastewater especially in the removal of heavy metals.