Biosorption of cadmium by Enterobacter ludwigii isolated from soil contaminated with cadmium near a coal-fired power plant in Korea

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to isolate and characterize indigenous bacteria from cadmium-contaminated soil around a coal-fired power plant in Korea for their potential use in biosorption. The 16S ribosomal RNA analysis identified Enterobacter ludwigii G17–1 in the soil, exhibiting a remarkably high minimum inhibitory concentration (2,500 mg/L) for cadmium. The efficiency of cadmium biosorption was investigated under different pH levels (6–9), temperatures (15–40°C), and initial cadmium concentrations (25–100 mg/L), using both live and dead G17–1. The live G17–1 strain exhibited a maximum biosorption efficiency of 50% for 25 mg/L cadmium at 24 hours, while the highest efficiency achieved with dead G17–1 was 48% at 1 hour. The biosorption capacity decreased as the initial cadmium concentration increased. These findings suggest that the isolated bacterium, E. ludwigii G17–1, holds potential for the bioremediation of cadmium-contaminated water and wastewater.

KEYWORDS:

• Enterobacter ludwigii
• cadmium
• biosorption
• soil
• minimum inhibitory concentration

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) under Grant No. 2017R1A2B4010641 and Korea CCUS Association (K-CCUS) grant funded by MOE and MOTIE (KCCUS20220001).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea [2017R1A2B4010641]; Korea CCUS Association [KCCUS20220001].