Heavy metal removal from sediments by biosurfactants

摘要

Batch washing experiments were used to evaluate the feasibility of using biosurfactants for the removal of heavy metals from sediments. Surfacing from Bacillus subtilis, rhamnolipids from pseudomonas aeruginosa an sophorolipid from Torulopsis bombicola were evaluated using a metal-contaminated sediment (110 mg/kg copper and 3300 mg/kg zinc). A single washing with 0. 5/100 rhamnolipid removed 65/100 of the copper and 18/100 of the zinc, whereas 4/100 sophorolipid 1. removed 25/100 of the copper an 60/100 of the zinc.