Cationic surfactant-modified biosorption of anionic dyes by dried Rhizopus arrhizus

The biosorption of an anionic dye Remazol Black B onto a filamentous, dried fungus, Rhizopus arrhizus, was studied in the presence of the cationic surfactant cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), which was used as a pH shifter. Without surfactant, the maximum dye uptake capacity was achieved at pH 2.0 and was 434.0 mg dye g^-1 dried fungal biomass. Again, without surfactant, the highest dye uptake capacity, 27.8 mg dye g^-1 dried biomass, occurred at pH 8.0 calculated from the Langmuir adsorption model. Addition of CTAB changed the pH at which the highest dye uptake was obtained. At an initial pH of 8.0 with different CTAB concentrations, the dye uptake capacity increased from 27.8 to 500.0 mg dye g^-1 dried biomass. Furthermore, when 200 mg L^-1 surfactant was added to the biosorption medium at pH 8.0, the amount of dye removed increased significantly. Four equilibrium adsorption models were applied to the results. The applicability of each isotherm was determined using regression correlation and fitting curves. According to the Langmuir model, without surfactant, the highest dye removal capacity at pH 8.0 was found to be 27.8 mg dye g^-1 dried biomass, rising to 500.0 mg g^-1 dried biomass with 200 mg L^-1 CTAB.