TITLE:
Biosorption of Copper by Rhizopus arrhizus and Comparison with Other Biosorbents/Adsorbents: A Critical Review
AUTHORS:
Recep İleri
KEYWORDS:
Copper, Rhizopus arrhizus, Biosorption, Comparison, Critical Review
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.5,
May
29,
2026
ABSTRACT: In synthetic copper solutions (10 mg/L), freely dead Rhizopus arrhizus achieved a removal yield of 89% within the first 10 minutes and reached 98% at equilibrium (60 minutes). Dead immobilised biomass can be used for the removal of copper from solutions of 1 - 100 mg/L initial concentration. The fungus Rhizopus arrhizus (immobilized dead form) 59.7 is mg Cu/g and 19.46 mg Cu/g for living form. The saturation uptake capacity was found to be 40 - 94 mg Cu/g for immobilised dead cells compared to 100 - 172 mg Cu/g for freely suspended dead cells, ranges depending on the process parameters. Use of a real wastewater effluent reduced the biomass copper uptake capacity. The saturation uptake was found to be 23.4 mg Cu (II)/g dry weight for immobilised dead cells compared to 33.8 mg Cu (II)/g dry weight for freely suspended dead cells for real wastewater effluents.