Bio-Detoxification Treatment of Waste Water Containing Cadmium

Abstract—Cadmium is a highly toxic metal. The exposure to cadmium is primarily through food and water. Various conventional methods like flocculation, precipitation, ion exchange and membrane filtration are available for removal of cadmium from water at low concentrations and claimed to be expensive and inefficient. Here we have used pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria for removal of cadmium from waste water by adsorption. Analysis is done to study the growth rate of biomass with varying substrate composition with and without cadmium. Initial concentration of cadmium in feed water is varied with different residence time within the reactor and % removal of cadmium is observed. This proposed method is found to be efficient and economical for cadmium removal. Significant removal was observed. Removal was fast, metabolism independent surface process. Operations are carried out at aerobic conditions. High percentage of removal of cadmium by adsorption on bacteria is achieved, which rises up to 85%.