A comparative investigation of lithium(I) biosorption properties of Aspergillus versicolor and Kluyveromyces marxianus

Abstract

Abstract In the current batch study, lithium(I) ion sorption behaviors of Aspergillus versicolor fungus and newly isolated Kluyveromyces marxianus yeast were investigated comparatively. Surface and structural characterization studies of the biosorbents carried out with Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), surface area and zeta potential analyses showed that isolated K. marxianus yeast from salty wastes has more preferable properties (i.e. higher porosity, surface area and negativity) for cation sorption. Biosorption studies also supported this estimation; higher lithium(I) sorption capacities were obtained with K. marxianus cells at all experimental conditions studied. Rapid sorption profiles of the sorbents demonstrated that physical interaction is the main mechanism in this system. The effects of pH and initial lithium(I) concentration on the lithium(I) sorption capacities of biosorbents were examined. The maximum adsorption capacities of 347.9 and 409.2 μmol lithium(I)/g biosorbent were obtained at an initial lithium(I) concentration of 20 mg/L at pH 9.0 using A. versicolor and K. marxianus, respectively. The equilibrium data fitted both Langmuir and Freundlich models in the concentration ranges studied. This study revealed that K. marxianus yeast can be used for effective, rapid and low cost capture process of lithium(I) ions from aqueous solutions.