Arsenic(III) Removal at Low Concentrations by Biosorption using Phanerochaete chrysosporium Pellets

As(III) removal from dilute aqueous solutions by biosorption onto pellets of the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium was investigated. The As(III) uptake capacity was evaluated at low initial concentrations (0.2–1 mg/L) which revealed that the P. chrysosporium pellets were only slightly less efficient than the well studied adsorbent granular ferric hydroxide. Moreover, its performance was much more superior compared to anaerobic granular sludge, another cheaply available bacterial biosorbent. In the studied pH (5–9) and biomass concentration (0.25–1.5 g/L wet weight basis) ranges, no large differences in As(III) removal efficiency were observed. The influence of different ions, commonly present in groundwater, such as nitrate, fluoride, chloride, and Fe(III) on As(III) removal by the fungus was also examined by performing experiments as per the statistically valid two-level fractional factorial design of experiments. This showed a very good removal of only As(III) and Fe(III) (maximum 100%), the ...