A Biotechnological Strategy for Molybdenum Extraction Using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Biosorption offers a sustainable alternative to conventional methods for metal extraction and recovery.
• Molybdenum contamination in water poses environmental and economic challenges.
• Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is a bacterium with potential for metal bioremediation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the biosorption of molybdenum using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain ZT-94.
• To investigate the influence of various parameters on molybdenum biosorption efficiency.
• To determine the adsorption capacity and isotherm models for molybdenum recovery.

Main Methods:

• Biosorption experiments were conducted with varying pH, initial molybdenum concentration, contact time, and biomass concentration.
• Adsorption isotherm models (Langmuir and Freundlich) were applied to analyze the biosorption data.
• Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) was used to characterize the biosorbent.

Main Results:

• Optimal molybdenum sorption was achieved at pH 5.
• Molybdenum removal increased with concentration, but efficiency decreased at higher concentrations.
• The maximum biosorption capacity was determined to be 150.497 mg/g, indicating high efficiency.
• Biomass concentration significantly impacted biosorption efficiency, with an optimal range identified.

Conclusions:

• Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain ZT-94 demonstrates significant potential for molybdenum removal and recovery from aqueous solutions.
• The biosorbent exhibits a high capacity for molybdenum, comparable to other advanced materials.
• This study highlights the viability of using microbial biomass for efficient and cost-effective metal recovery.