Significance and Impact of the Study: Microbial accumulation and volatilization are natural processes involved in biogeochemical cycles of elements. Despite their impact on mobility, bioavailability and toxicity of various metal(loid)s, only few papers deal with these processes under aerobic conditions with microscopic fungi. Thus, the proving of ability of microscopic fungus Scopulariopsis brevicaulis to accumulate and transform metals and metalloids by methylation or alkylation and quantification of these processes were demonstrated. The results can provide basic information on natural elements cycling and background for more specific studies focusing, for example, on application of these processes in mitigation of metal(loid) contamination. Abstract Biovolatilization and bioaccumulation capabilities of different elements by microscopic filamentous fungus Scopulariopsis brevicaulis were observed. Accumulation of As(III), As
While selenium is an essential trace element, its excessive intake causes adverse effects to human health. Therefore, selenium control and removal from water and soil are crucial in limiting environmental and human health risk. Various microorganisms have recently been exploited for use in remediation processes, especially filamentous fungi, which are efficient metal(loid) bioaccumulators with unique metabolic pathway of metal(loid) transformation into volatile derivatives. This contribution investigates the filamentous fungus Aspergillus clavatus' efficient and environmentally friendly selenium(VI) bioaccumulation and volatilization in selenium contaminated substrates remediation. The static batch culture experiments investigated these phenomena with initial selenium(VI) concentrations up to 89 mg L À1 . The biovolatilization and bioaccumulation efficiency was calculated from selenium concentration data determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry in biomass and culture medium after a 14-day cultivation period. The maximum selenium bioaccumulation capacity was almost 2.3 mg g À1 dry fungal biomass, with significant 2.8 mg g À1 biovolatilization during the 14-day fungal incubation. Although bioaccumulation dominates selenium removal in diluted solutions, biotransformation into non-harmful volatile derivatives ensures efficient selenium removal from aqueous media with extreme selenium concentrations up to 89 mg L À1 . In contrast to biosorption/bioaccumulation process, biovolatilization leaves no solid residues with high selenium loads, thus confirming biovolatilization is the most suitable biological method for selenium removal from contaminated waters and sediments. In addition, filamentous fungal biomass application is highly beneficial in treatment of selenium contaminated aqueous media.
Sorption of pentavalent oxyanions P(V), As(V), and Sb(V)was studied on goethite and hematite prepared by its thermal transformation. The surface properties of goethite and products of its thermal modification at different temperatures were studied by BET method, FT-IR, XRD, and DTA-TGA. Amounts of immobilized ions reached their maxima on sorbent prepared at 250 C. Changes of the specific surface area (32.5 m 2 .g −1 at 150 C, 82 3 m 2 g −1 at 250 C and 34 8 m 2 g −1 at 350 C) during the thermal transformation at different temperatures were observed. Further analysis confirmed the complete transformation of goethite to hematite at temperatures 200−250 C accompanied with the disappearance of hydroxyl absorption bands at ∼800 and ∼900 cm −1 in FT-IR spectrum and significant loss of weight observed on TGA curve. The study of adsorption isoterms revealed that antimony has higher affinity for all studied sorbents.
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