Bench-scale soil column experiments were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of Cr(VI) bioremediation process in soils by using indigenous bacteria with the addition of bacteria nutrient media. Effects of particle size, spray intensity, initial Cr(VI) concentration, circulation mode and soil depth on Cr(VI) remediation were studied. Results show that soils after 6 d remediation with spray intensity controlled in the range of 29.6-59.2 mL/min could well fulfill the requirement of concrete aggregate and roadbed material usage, for the leaching toxicity concentration of the Cr(VI) in treated soils under the chosen condition is far less than 5 mg/L. The leaching toxicity and fractions of both hexavalent chromium and trivalent chromium from remediated soils were determined and compared with that of untreated soil. The results show that water soluble Cr(VI) declines from 1520.54 mg/kg to 0.68 mg/kg, exchangeable Cr(VI) decreases from 34.83 mg/kg to 0.01 mg/kg and carbonates-bonded Cr(VI) falls from 13.55 mg/kg to 0.68 mg/kg. Meanwhile, a corresponding increase in carbonate-bonded Cr(III), Fe and Mn oxides-bonded Cr(III) and organic matter-bonded Cr(III) are found. It reveals that indigenous bacteria can leach out water soluble Cr(VI), exchangeable Cr(VI) and carbonates-bonded Cr(VI) from contaminated soil followed by converting into carbonate-bonded Cr(III), Fe and Mn oxides-bonded Cr(III), organic matter-bonded Cr(III) and residual Cr(III).
An important filamentous industrial fungus,Rhizopus cohnii(R.cohnii),was used as an efficient biosorbent for removing cadmium from wastewater.The sorption conditions,such as pH,the dose of biomass and the initial concentration of cadmium were examined.Two kinds of adsorption models were applied to simulate the biosorption data.The uptake of cadmium was higher in weak acid condition than in strong acid condition.Nearly no sorption of cadmium occurred when the pH value was lower than 2.0. Biosorption isothermal data could be well simulated by both Langmuir and Freundlich models.Langmuir simulation of the biosorption showed that the maximum uptake of cadmium was 40.5 mg/g(0.36 mmol/g)in the optimal conditions,which was higher than many other adsorbents,including biosorbents and activated carbon.In addition,the reusability results showed that after five times of sorption and desorption process,the sorption capacity of R.cohnii could still maintain nearly 80%,confirming its practical application in cadmium treatment.Fourier transform infrared spectrum revealed that carboxyl,amino and hydroxyl groups on biosorbent R.cohnii surface were responsible for the biosorption of cadmium.
