Biomass-based decontamination methods are among the most interesting water treatment techniques. In this study, 2 cyanobacterial strains, Nostoc punctiforme A.S/S4 and Chroococcidiopsis thermalis S.M/S9, isolated from hot springs containing high concentrations of radium (226Ra), were studied to be associated with removal of radionuclides (238U and 226Ra) and heavy metal cadmium (Cd) from aqueous solutions. The adsorption equilibrium data was described by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Kinetic studies indicated that the sorption of 3 metals followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Effects of biomass concentration, pH, contact time, and initial metal concentration on adsorption were also investigated. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed active binding sites on the cyanobacterial biomass. The obtained maximum biosorption capacities were 630 mg g-1 and 37 kBq g-1 for 238U and 226Ra for N. punctiforme and 730 mg g-1 and 55 kBq g-1 for C. thermalis. These 2 strains showed maximum binding capacity 160 and 225 mg g-1, respectively for Cd adsorption. These results suggest that radioactivity resistant cyanobacteria could be employed as an efficient adsorbent for decontamination of multi-component, radioactive and industrial wastewater.
Keywords: Adsorption; cyanobacteria; high-background radiation areas; radionuclides.