LIGNOCELLULOSE-RICH SPENT MUSHROOM COMPOST FOR BIOSORPTION OF HEAVY METALS FROM EFFLUENT SAMPLES

Abstract

"Lignocellulose-rich spent mushroom compost (SMC) has been found to contain various functional groups that can be used for biosorption. Effluent samples collected from common effluent treatment plants (CETPs), i.e. Ludhiana Electroplaters Association (L-CETP) and Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) Leather Complex, Jalandhar (J-CETP), were analyzed for different waste water quality parameters, such as Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and heavy metal profile. Chromium was the dominant heavy metal in both samples, with a concentration of 226.62 ppm in L-CETP and 1.83 ppm in J-CETP. Spent compost of different cultivated mushrooms was analysed for its use in chromium biosorption by varying physicochemical parameters. Maximum removal of Cr was obtained at an initial metal concentration (Ci) of 50 mg/L, pH 6 and temperature of 25 °C. Experimental results were well fitted to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra showed a shift in peaks, indicating the functional groups involved in biosorption of chromium."