Removal of Heavy Metals by Cladophora sp. in Batch Culture: The Effect of Wet-mixed Solidified Soil (loess) on Bioremoval Capacities

The heavy metal removal capacity of filamentous green alga Cladophora sp. cultured together with wet-mixed solidified soil (loess) was tested. A Cladophora sp. was cultured for 5d, with added Chu No. 10 medium, in stream water contaminated by high concentration of heavy metals from a closed mine effluent. Heavy metal ion concentrations of the medium and in algal tissue were measured every day during the experiment. Dissolved metals (Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) in medium were rapidly removed (over 90% elimination) within 1-2d when alga and loess were added. Dissolved heavy metals dropped by only 10% when algae were cultured without loess. The Cladophora sp. accumulated much more heavy metals when cultured with loess than when the alga was cultured alone. Cladophora sp. exhibited a maximum uptake capacity for Al ($17,000{\mu}g^{-1}$ algal dry weight). The metal bioremoval capacities of the algae were in the order Al, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and Cd. The heavy metal removal capacity of Cladophora sp. showed significant increases when wet-mixed solidified soil was added to culture media.