The Potential Biosorption of Copper and Manganese by Bacterial Cellulose in the Environment

Abstract

This study investigated the efficiency of copper and manganese adsorption by bacterial cellulose (BC) produced from Komagataeibacter intermedius BE073. BC was collected from production processes in a village in Nakhon Nayok province. BC had high moisture content of 91.15±3.68%, an average water absorption index (WAI) of 5.30±0.362, an average tensile strength of 99.1 ±6.18 MPa, average elongation at break of 6.41±0.67%, and an average Young modulus of 1445±177 MPa. Structural analysis of the BC material shows that it is a cellulose powder with a main group. Measurements show that the Mn content in BC rapidly decreased after soaking in solution, and that the highest Cu absorption efficiency of BC during a 120 minute period was 15469 mg kg-1. The results of this study show that BC may be successfully used to absorb various heavy metal residues from leachate, particularly Cu solutions. BC cannot absorb Mn from solution, so it cannot be used to absorb Mn from leachate. However, studies have shown that BC can release Mn into solution. Therefore, BC may be effective for use in agriculture, as Mn is a micronutrient for plants. © (2023), (Polish Society of Ecological Engineering (PTIE)). All Rights Reserved.