Bioremediation of industrial effluents containing heavy metals using brewing cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a green technology: a review

Abstract

The release of heavy metals into the environment, mainly as a consequence of anthropogenic activities, constitutes a worldwide environmental pollution problem. Unlike organic pollutants, heavy metals are not degraded and remain indefinitely in the ecosystem, which poses a different kind of challenge for remediation. It seems that the "best treatment technologies" available may not be completely effective for metal removal or can be expensive; therefore, new methodologies have been proposed for the detoxification of metal-bearing wastewaters. The present work reviews and discusses the advantages of using brewing yeast cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the detoxification of effluents containing heavy metals. The current knowledge of the mechanisms of metal removal by yeast biomass is presented. The use of live or dead biomass and the influence of biomass inactivation on the metal accumulation characteristics are outlined. The role of chemical speciation for predicting and optimising the efficiency of metal removal is highlighted. The problem of biomass separation, after treatment of the effluents, and the use of flocculent characteristics, as an alternative process of cell-liquid separation, are also discussed. The use of yeast cells in the treatment of real effluents to bridge the gap between fundamental and applied studies is presented and updated. The convenient management of the contaminated biomass and the advantages of the selective recovery of heavy metals in the development of a closed cycle without residues (green technology) are critically reviewed.

Cleanup of industrial effluents containing heavy metals: a new opportunity of valorising the biomass produced by brewing industry

“…Chemical speciation of metals is also affect-ed by the physiochemical characteristics of the solution. These aspects were recently reviewed (Soares and Soares 2012).…”

“…The potentialities of these types of biological materials were reviewed by Wang and Chen (2009). The use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells, from different sources (baker, wine, and brewing) in the bioreme-diation of heavy metals was revised by Wang and Chen (2006) and more recently by Soares and Soares (2012); in the last work, the impact of physicochemical properties of the solution on the removal of metals, the role of chemical speciation for predicting and optimising the efficiency of metal removal and the selective recovery of the heavy metals were highlighted.…”

Removal of Heavy Metals in Cassava Mill Effluents with Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from Palm Wine

“…Some of the human activities leading to heavy metal in the environment include discharge of untreated or partially treated industrial wastes including sewage, drugs, oil, heavy metals, paints, pesticides and various chemical compounds into the environment especially aquatic ecosystem [9]. These heavy metals lead to environmental pollution [9,10]. Some of the heavy metals that have high environmental toxicity and health effects include lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, copper, cadmium, nickel and zinc [3].…”

“…Some of the heavy metals that have high environmental toxicity and health effects include lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, copper, cadmium, nickel and zinc [3]. Worst still, heavy metals is recalcitrant to degradation and as such it's a threat to biodiversity in heavy metal laden environment [8,10]. Probably due to this, it's one of the challenges facing environmental sustainability [10].…”

“…Worst still, heavy metals is recalcitrant to degradation and as such it's a threat to biodiversity in heavy metal laden environment [8,10]. Probably due to this, it's one of the challenges facing environmental sustainability [10]. Furthermore, plants have the tendency to bioaccumulation heavy metals from the environment through their different parts including roots, leaves etc.…”