Application of aspergillus awamori grown on citrus peel supplemented growth medium for cyanide bioremediation

Abstract

Solid waste and wastewater effluents emanating from many industries contain free cyanide. The environmental risk of this compound stems from its emission as component of the hydrocyanic gas, which is toxic. Cyanide and its complexes have been shown to have bioaccumulative properties which in turn result in ecological deterioration with both human and animal health implications. In this study, bioremediation of cyanide by A. awamoriisolates was carried using Citrus peel (CP) supplemented growth medium, refined pectin (RP) and Czapek Yeast Agar (CYA) with water as control in shake flask cultures (180 rpm) at 30 °C for 48 h. A. awamorifrom the various media demonstrated cyanide bioremediation potential with the CP medium showing considerably higher cyanide reduction. The presence of quantifiable NH3/NH+ in the media solutions during the biodegradation was indicative of cyanide reduction. Use of CP adjunct-grown A. awamorito bioremediate cyanide contaminated wastewaters is an alternative environmentally friendly catalytic process for cleaning up the environment and improving water quality.