Biosorption of copper by yeast, Loddermyces elongisporus, isolated from industrial effluents: its potential use in wastewater treatment.

The present study is aimed at assessing the ability of metal resistant yeast, Loddermyces elongisporus, to uptake metal from liquid medium. The minimum inhibitory concentration of Cu(2+) against Loddermyces elongisporus ranged between 2.2-2.3 mg/l. The yeast could also tolerate Zn(2+) (2.9 mg/l), Hg(2+) (2.4 mg/l), Ni(2+) (2.2 mg/l), Cr(6+) (2.0 mg/l), Pb(2+) (1.1 mg/l), and Cd(2+) (0.8 mg/l). The yeast isolate showed typical growth curves but lag and log phases extended in the presence of copper. Yeast isolate showed optimum growth at 30 degrees C and pH 8. Metal processing ability of the isolate was determined in a medium containing 0.1 mg/l of Cu(2+). Loddermyces elongisporus could reduce Cu(2+) 15%, 26%, 39%, 50%, 60%, 67%, 75% and 81% from the medium after 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 48, 72 and 96 hours, respectively. L. elongisporus could also efficiently remove 80% copper from the medium after 96 h and was able to remove Cu(2+) 60% and 77% from the wastewater after 4 and 8 d, respectively. The metal binding ability suggests possibility of using this yeast strain for removal of copper from metal contaminated wastewater.