BIOSORPTION OF HEAVY METALS USING ASPERGILLUS SPECIES ISOLATED FROM CONTAMINATED SOIL.

With the rapid development of industries heavy metal pollution has become one of the major global concerns due to their toxicity and threat to human life and environment. This work evaluated the heavy metal biosorption potential of Aspergillus sp. (Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus) isolated from contaminated soil of Bhagwanpur industrial area, Haridwar. The heavy metal concentrations were determined after digestion of soil samples. The results indicate the heavy metal resistant fungi that were isolated and screened for the biosorption potential. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Pb, Cr, Ni and Zn was determined by agar diffusion method in 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 ppm concentrations. In this study, adsorption of Zn, Ni, Cr and Pb were investigated and two sp. of Aspergillus were identified viz. Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus. The results showed that Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus could biosorb all the metals in the order Zn>Ni>Cr>Pb and Pb>Cr>Zn>Ni respectively.