Study Of Biosurfactants In The Removal Of Chromium And Lead From Industrial Waste

Abstract

The removal of heavy metals from contaminated soil and water by their treatment with biosurfactants has effectively been carried out by various research groups. The binding between biosurfactants and metal ions may be due to ion exchange, counter ion absorption or electrostatic attraction. Biosurfactant-metal complexes, reported by many research groups during the remediation of heavy metals from soil and water. However, there are only a few reports available regarding the stability constant, and thermodynamic parameters of these complexes. newlineThe thesis entitled study of biosurfactants in the removal of chromium and lead from industrial waste deals with the study on the complex formation between biosurfactants (saponin and rhamnolipid) and two metal ions viz. chromium (VI) and lead (II) and estimation of these metal ions in industrial wastewater. Spectro-photometric, conductometric and surface tension measurements techniques have been used in complex formation studies. newlineShift in and#61548;max of biosurfactant in presence of chromium (VI) and lead (II) and stability constant for the complex formation indicated the formation of a complex between each biosurfactant and metal ions. The thermodynamic parameters determined by conductivity measurements have further supported the complexation between biosurfactants and metal ions. FTIR and XRD results were also in favor of complex formation between biosurfactants and metal ions. newlineThe results obtained by three different methods i.e., spectrophotometrically, conductometrically and surface tension measurement were in close agreement within experimental results. The experimental results indicated the formation of complex between saponin and chromium (VI)/ lead (II) and between rhamnolipid and lead (II) by forming a bond between carboxylic /hydroxyl group of biosurfactant and metal ion. However, the complex formation between rhamnolipid and chromium (VI) was observed due to the entrapment of chromium (VI) in the micelles of rhamnolipid. newlineII newlineEstimation of lead (II)/chromium (VI) in industr