Removal and concurrent reduction of Cr(VI) by thermoacidophilic Cyanidiales: a novel extreme biomaterial enlightened for acidic and neutral conditions

Yen-Lin Cho; Yu-Min Tzou; Chun-Chieh Wang; Yao-Chang Lee; Liang-Ching Hsu; Shao-Lun Liu; Afifah Assakinah; Yu-Hsien Chen; Nhu Anh Thi Than; Yu-Ting Liu; Jörg Rinklebe

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130334

Removal and concurrent reduction of Cr(VI) by thermoacidophilic Cyanidiales: a novel extreme biomaterial enlightened for acidic and neutral conditions

J Hazard Mater. 2023 Mar 5:445:130334. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130334. Epub 2022 Nov 6.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
² Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan; Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
³ National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung 40704, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan; Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan. Electronic address: yliu@nchu.edu.tw.
⁶ Laboratory of Soil, and Groundwater-Management, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water, and Waste, Management, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal 42285, Germany.

PMID: 36462243
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130334

Abstract

Thermoacidophilic Cyanidiales maintain a competitive edge in inhabiting extreme environments enriched with metals. Here, species of Cyanidioschyzon merolae (Cm), Cyanidium caldarium (Cc), and Galdieria partita (Gp) were exploited to remove hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)]. Cm and Gp could remove 168.1 and 93.7 mg g^-1 of Cr(VI) at pH 2.0 and 7.0, respectively, wherein 89% and 62% of sorbed Cr on Cm and Gp occurred as trivalent chromium [Cr(III)]. Apart from surface-sorbed Cr(VI), the in vitro Cr(III) bound with polysaccharide and in vivo chromium(III) hydroxide [Cr(OH)₃] attested to the reduction capability of Cyanidiales. The distribution of Cr species varied as a function of sorbed Cr amount, yet a relatively consistent proportion of Cr(OH)₃, irrespective of Cr sorption capacity, was found only on Cm and Cc at pH 2.0. In conjunction with TXM (transmission X-ray microscopy) images that showed less impaired cell integrity and possible intracellular Cr distribution on Cm and Cc at pH 2.0, the in vivo Cr(OH)₃ might be the key to promoting the Cr sorption capacity (≥ 152 mg g^-1). Cyanidiales are promising candidates for the green and sustainable remediation of Cr(VI) due to their great removal capacity, the spontaneous reduction under oxic conditions, and in vivo accumulation.

Keywords: Chromium; Cyanidiales; Reduction; Sorption; Speciation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Chromium*
Microscopy*

Substances

chromium hexavalent ion
Chromium