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Abstract

A number of microalgal species isolated from untreated industrial wastewater containing bodies were screened for their ability to remove heavy metals from contaminaled water. A blue green alga Phormidiun sp. was noted to have excellent metal removing ability. The alga removed 98.4, 64. l. 96.6. 86.4, 84.3 and 88.2% of Pb**, " Cu" and Zn". respectively, from aqueous metal solutions The metal uptake process was extremely rapid with, >95% of the sorption completed within 5 minutes Reuse of algal biomass as a biosorbent was possible as the bound metals, except chromium. desorbed with 0.1 M HCI. These observations indicate the potential of an endemic strain of Phormidium sp. for application as an efficient biosorbent for the removal of toxic metals in aqueous wastes at low concentrations

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