REMOVAL OF NICKEL(II) BY PENICILLIUM CHRYSOGENUM an‎d ASPEGILLUS NIGER BIOMASS

In this study the biomass used was isolated from a biological sludge collected from a dairy wastewatertreatment plant. Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus niger, were isolated and cultured in ourlaboratory, dried and ground at 500ƒÊm. The Nickel removal experiments were done in a batch mode onshaken conditions. The kinetic results at a natural pH revealed that the equilibrium reached after 60minutes and, the obtained removal capacity was 90 mg/g. Isotherm studies showed a better removalNickel with Aspergillus niger (90% uptake). Furthermore, higher pH values gave a better removalcapacity.