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.