Adsorption Kinetics Study of Removal Rhodamine B and Heavy Metals (Cadmium and Cobalt) from Water Using Rhamnolipid Biosurfactant Produced by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

An alternative and environmentally friendly method for purifying the environment from pollution is the use of biosurfactant derived from microorganisms. The advantage of biosurfactant is biodegradability, low toxicity, and effectiveness in increasing biological decomposition. Unlike chemical surfactants, surface active substances produced by microbes are easily decomposed, and for this reason, they are very suitable for environmental applications, especially bioremediation. The aim of this study was bioremediation and investigation of the absorption kinetics of heavy metals and Rhodamine B from water by biosurfactant produced from Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria.

In this study, a biosurfactant-producing bacterium that was isolated and identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa HAK02 from the Kahrizak waste site in the south of Tehran was used to produce a surface bioactive agent to remove pollutants. Zeta potential test was performed to detect the load of biosurfactant produced and used in bioremediation. The amount of color removal was done by UV device and the removal of heavy metals was done by ICP_AES analysis.

Due to the negative charge of the substance, it was used to remove heavy metals and Rhodamine B cationic dye. Biosurfactant produced with Pseudomonas aeruginosa was able to remove 95% rhodamine B, 43% Cd2+, and 35% Co2+. Examining the kinetic model of absorption showed that better correlation with pseudo-second order kinetic model.

Bioremediation using surfactants to remove heavy metals and dyeing is a fast and environmentally friendly method. This sample is very suitable for the removal of Rhodamine B and has the moderate ability for heavy metals Cd2+ and Co2+.