Trace element removal by Spirulina sp. from copper smelter and refinery effluents

The paper presents the studies carried out on the applicability of microalga Spirulina sp. for trace elements removal from the conditioned (large volume, low contaminants concentration) industrial effluent, from copper smelter and refinery, containing a variety of trace elements, particularly mercury, cadmium, ammonia–nitrogen in concentrations exceeding Polish permissible limits for effluents discharged into water and soil. Trace elements removal is the problem still unresolved due to very low concentration of contaminants (on the level of μg/kg). In the current work, low-cost treatment of this effluent with the use of bioaccumulation method with mixotrophic cyanobacteria Spirulina sp. is proposed, in which the real effluent is contacted with cells lyophilizate (in proportions 0.25 g cells/1 L effluent). Neither additional nutrients nor lighting were provided.