Removal of PCNB from aqueous solution by a fungal adsorption process

Removal of PCNB from aqueous solutions by fungal mycelia was studied. Adsorption of the fungicide by dead biomass of M. racemosus, R. arrhizus and S. cyanescens was determined and compared with sorption on isolated cell walls of these three strains. Biosorptive uptake capacities are described by Freundlich equations of the form Qe=Kf•Cnfe. Measured values of Kf and nf indicate significant differences in the curve shapes and sorption capacities between the three species. Better performances were revealed by M. racemosus and R. arrhizus. Sorption of PCNB by cell walls alone was lower and statistically different from sorption by heat-killed mycelia thus corroborating that biosorption involved both uptake by the cell walls and by other cellular components.