Bioa ccumulation of heavy metals from aqueous solution using indigenous fungal isolates

Twenty six fungal strains were isolated from heavy metals contaminated soil of which A. flavus (F4) and R. pusillus (F6) were the most dominant. Growth of isolates were noticed by Pb, Cr and Cd concentration in the growth medium in one- step and two- step process, thus about seven isolates can grow upto 10mg (Pb,Cr, Cd)/100ml medium. The formulation of Sabouraud dextrose broth (SDB) medium fortified the isolates by ingredients and favored the best growth yields that have the highest biosorption, compared to Chashi medium (CM) and Yeast peptone glucose (YPG) medium. Thus, 99% of Pb and Cr were absorbed in biosorption medium containing 10mg Pb and Cr in 100ml medium while 77% of Cd was absorbed in the biosorption medium containing 10mg Cd in 100ml medium. Uptake capacity of resistant fungal isolates against heavy metals was checked in different medium. With respect to Pb, Cd and Cr maximum uptake of 39.58, 68.02 and 68.87mg.g -1 w as observed by fungi Rhizomucor pusillus (F6) and Aspergillus flavus (F4). This indicated the potential of these identified fungi as biosorbent for removal of high concentration metals from soil and industrial effluents and also it was observed that efficiency of two-step process is better than the one-step process.