A comprehensive review on biosorption and bacterial biosorbents for heavy metal removal from wastewater

Biosorption can be an effective technique for the treatment of heavy metal ion bearing wastewater resulting from huumuns and industrial activities. Several gram positive and gram negative bacteria have the abbility to remove the heavy metal ions and thereby making water contaminant free. It has been reported that attenuated bacterial biomass ha ave greater biosorption capability than viable cells. With the onset of industrialization mankind has witnessed various environmental issues in the society. This industrialization has not only brought development and prosperity but eventually disturbed the ecosystem. One of the impacts is viisible, in form of water pollution. In the present study heavy metal contamination of water bodiees has been discussed. The conventional methods of treatment of heavy metal contaminatioon includes chemical precipitation, chemical oxidattion, ion exchange, membrane separation, reverse osmosis, electro dialysis etc. These methods are costly, energy intensive and often associated with generation of toxic byproducts. Thus, the biosorption has been investigated as a cost effective method of removal of heavy metals from wastewater. In the present study various low cost adsorbents have been reviewed as an abatement of heavy metal pollution from wastewater.