Adsorption of Copper and Lead onto the Bacteria ShewaneUa putrejaciens: A Bioremediation Perspective
Abstract
We studied the facultatively anaerobic, gram negative bacterium Shewanella
putrefaciens in the analysis of heavy metal adsorption for copper and lead. We used
acid-base titrations to study the percent adsorption onto the cell surface of the bacteria
under varying concentrations of metal and background electrolyte solution. In data
analysis we plotted the percent adsorption versus pH using the results obtained from the
ICP/MS. Later, we will utilize JCHESS to model these percent adsorption plots. The
JCHESS models will result in all ions present and active in each surface complexation as
well as providing equilibrium constants for optimum adsorption of each metal onto
Shewanella putrefaciens. The results from this study will be used to better understand
the nature of surface complexation onto bacteria cell wall. These results will also aid in
the quest to use Shewanella putrefaciens in the bioremediation of heavy metals in
aqueous environments.