Cadmium biosorption on native Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells in aqueous suspension

In the present study, sorption of cadmium (II) ions from aqueous suspension on to native Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells of different origin was studied. Baker’s yeast, waste yeast from brewery and cultivated yeast cells were used as biosorbents for cadmium removal in solution. The kinetics of cadmium biosorption by native Baker’s yeast was investigated at different initial concentrations of the metal ion (5, 12.5, 25, 50 mg/L) at a pH 6. The adsorption equilibrium was reached within sixty minutes. The biosorption experiments were carried out at the natural state of pH 6 in the biomass suspensions using batch technique. Cadmium adsorption isotherms were determined on Baker’s yeast at different sorbent dosages and yeast biomasses of different origin in the initial concentration range of 10 250 mg/L. The adsorption equilibrium of cadmium from aqueous solutions by yeast biomasses can be well described by Freundlich equation. The amount sorbed at equilibrium was found to be directly proportional to the initial metal ion concentration divided by the sorbent mass.