Biosorption of Copper from Electroplating Wastewater Using Saccharomyces Cerevisiae: Process Optimization, Metal Recovery, and Predictive Modelling
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52151/jae2026633.2025Keywords:
agitation speed, biomass dosage, electrostatic attraction, nonlinear regression model, regeneration processAbstract
Copper (Cu²⁺) contamination in industrial wastewater, particularly from electroplating processes, poses significant environmental and health risks. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae), a versatile yeast, has shown as a promising biosorbent for metal removal due to its surface functional groups. This study evaluated the potential of S. cerevisiae as a biosorbent for Cu²⁺ removal from electroplating wastewater through systematic optimization of pH, contact time, biomass dosage, and agitation speed. The highest copper removal efficiency of 98.4% was achieved at a pH of 6.0, 5 g L-1 biomass concentration, contact time of 120 minutes, and agitation speed of 200 rpm. The maximum Cu²⁺ efficiency achieved using S. cerevisiae in electroplating wastewater was verified through the evaluation of additional physicochemical parameters, confirming the effectiveness and practical applicability of the proposed biosorption process. Results indicated that Cu²⁺ removal efficiency increased with pH, reaching 86.5% at a pH value of 6.0, was linked to the ideal ionization of the hydroxyl, amino, and carboxyl functional groups on the yeast surface, which interacted with Cu²⁺ ions through complexation, electrostatic attraction, and hydrogen bonding. Contact time enhanced the Cu²⁺ removal up to 120 minutes, peaking at 90.7%, after which equilibrium was reached. The biomass dosage also improved Cu²⁺ removal efficiency, peaking at 95.6% at 5 g L-1; moreover, increasing biomass dosage decreased the efficiency. A second-degree nonlinear regression model was created to forecast the elimination of Cu²⁺ quantity with high accuracy (coefficient of determination, R² = 0.9882), with pH and biomass dosage being the most influential factors in Cu²⁺ removal. Efficient recovery of copper from the biosorbent was achieved through desorption with dilute hydrochloric acid, yielding recovery efficiencies between 85.7% and 88.4%, confirming the reversible nature of Cu²⁺ binding. This method offers a sustainable and cost-effective solution for electroplating wastewater treatment and metal remediation.
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