Biosorption of Pentachlorophenol from Aqueous Solutions Using Phanerochaete Chrysosporium Biomass

Background and Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is an organic compound categorized as priority pollutants with harmful effects on humans, animals and plants. Therefore, the removal of PCP from water and wastewater is of great importance. This study aimed at assessing the efficiency of Phanerochaete Chrysosporium fungus biomass in PCP absorption. In this experimental study Phanerochaete Chrysosporium strains were prepared from Persian Type Culture Collection of Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST). After activation, the strains were incubated in potato dextrose agar (PDA). The prepared Phanerochaete Chrysosporium biomass was modified by NaOH and then it was used for PCP absorption assay. The measurement of PCP was done by high-performance liquid chromatography. We found that the biosorption efficiency of PCP increased with increase in the Phanerochaete Chrysosporium biomass loading. The pentachlorophenol biosorption percentage decreased when the initial pentachlorophenol concentration increased. Maximum biosorption of PCP was obtained at acidic pH. The experimental adsorption isotherm complies with Langmuir equation model (R2=0.992). The pHZPC for Phanerochaete Chrysosporium biomass was found to be 6.1. Characterization results from BET (Brunauer, Emmett and Teller) showed that BET surface area of the Phanerochaete Chrysosporium biomass was 1.275 m2g-1 and adsorption average pore diameter was 1.22 nm. The results showed biosorption by Phanerochaete Chrysosporium biomass as an effective method in removal of pentachlorophenol from aqueous solutions in low concentration and acidic pH.