Adsorption of anthraquinone dyes from aqueous solutions by penicillium terrestre

Penicillium terrestre was used for removing four anthraquinone dyes from aqueous solution. The experiments were performed in Erlenmeyer flasks and spore suspension was used for inoculation. The results show that the mechanism of dye removal by penicillium terrestre is biosorption and the growing pellets exhibit higher adsorptive capacity than the resting or dead ones. The maximum removals of disperse blue 2BLN, reactive brilliant blue KN-R, acid anthraquinone blue and bromamine acid at the concentration of 120 mg/L by biosorption of growing pellets are 100%, 100%, 96% and 91%, respectively. The 100.0% and 91.4% KN-R removals are achieved respectively at the much higher concentration of 250 and 400 mg/L. 2.5 g/L glucose is sufficient for 100% KN-R removal by growing pellets. Salinity (NaCl) increase from 0 to 2% (W/V) moderately accelerates both mycelium growth and KN-R removal.