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Cadmium accumulation by a Citrobacter sp. immobilized on gel and solid supports: Applicability to the treatment of liquid wastes containing heavy metal cations

✍ Scribed by L. E. Macaskie; J. M. Wates; A. C. R. Dean


Publisher
John Wiley and Sons
Year
1987
Tongue
English
Weight
792 KB
Volume
30
Category
Article
ISSN
0006-3592

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✦ Synopsis


Polyacrylamide gel-immobilized cells of a Cifrobacter sp. removed cadmium from flows supplemented with glycerol 2-phosphate, the metal uptake mechanism being mediated by the activity of a cell-bound phosphatase that precipitates liberated inorganic phosphate with heavy metals at the cell surface. The constraints of elevated flow rate and temperature were investigated and the results discussed in terms of the kinetics of immobilized enzymes. Loss in activity with respect to cadmium accumulation but not inorganic phosphate liberation was observed at acid pH and was attributed to the pH-dependent solubility of cadmium phosphate. Similarly high concentrations of chloride ions, and traces of cyanide inhibited cadmium uptake and this was attributed to the ability of these anions to complex heavy metals, especially the ability of CNto form complex anions with Cd2+. The data are discussed in terms of the known chemistry of chloride and cyanide-cadmium complexes and the relevance of these factors in the treatment of metal-containing liquid wastes is discussed. The cells immobilized in polyacrylamide provided a convenient small-scale laboratory model system. It was found that the Cifrobacfer sp. could be immobilized on glass supports with no chemical treatment or modification necessary. Such cells were also effective in metal accumulation and a prototype system more applicable to the treatment of metal-containing streams on a larger scale is described.