Evaluation of nitrogen, phosphorus and heavy metals removal from wastewater by Rhodobacter Blasticus

Eunji Oh, Deok-Won Kim, Jong-Geon Oh, Deok Hyun Kim, Sunhwa Park and Keun-Yook Chung

Abstract

The potential for the removal of nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals such as copper and nickel by Rhodobacter blasticus known as purple non-sulfur bacteria was evaluated in this study. In addition, the resistance of R. blasticus to two heavy metals and the effects of these metals on its cell morphology were investigated. The heavy metal adsorption characteristics by R. blasticus were confirmed using Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies of R. blasticus decreased as the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus increased from 50 to 500 mg/L. The resistance, based on the minimum inhibitory concentration of R. blasticus growing under aerobic-light conditions, was found to be in the order of Ni2+ > Cu2+. SEM analysis revealed that copper ions altered the morphology of R. blasticus, while nickel treatment did not differ from the control group. Futhermore, this study confirmed that the removal efficiencies for Cu2+ and Ni2+ by R. blasticus were 53

Key Words

adsorption; bioremediation; heavy metals; nutrients; Rhodobacter blasticus

Address

Eunji Oh: Urban Research Division, Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, Sejong 30147, Republic of Korea Deok-Won Kim: Department of Earth Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea Jong-Geon Oh and Keun-Yook Chung: Department of Environmental and Biological Chemistry, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea Deok Hyun Kim: National Institute of Chemical Safety, Cheongju 28164, Republic of Korea Sunhwa Park: National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea

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