Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Biotechnology Advances 24 (2006) 427 – 451 www.elsevier.com/locate/biotechadv

Research review paper

Biosorption of heavy metals by Saccharomyces cerevisiae: A review
Jianlong Wang a,b,⁎, Can Chen a
b a Laboratory of Environmental Technology, INET, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China State Key Joint Laoboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University,Beijing 100084, PR China

Accepted 8 March 2006 Available online 5 June 2006

Abstract Heavy metal pollution has become one of the most serious environmental problems today. Biosorption, using biomaterials such as bacteria, fungi, yeast and algae, is regarded as a cost-effective biotechnology for the treatment of high volume and low concentration complex wastewaters containing heavy metal(s)in the order of 1 to 100 mg/L. Among the promising biosorbents for heavy metal removal which have been researched during the past decades, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has received increasing attention due to the unique nature in spite of its mediocre capacity for metal uptake compared with other fungi. S. cerevisiae is widely used in food and beverage production, is easily cultivated using cheapmedia, is also a by-product in large quantity as a waste of the fermentation industry, and is easily manipulated at molecular level. The state of the art in the field of biosorption of heavy metals by S. cerevisiae not only in China, but also worldwide, is reviewed in this paper, based on a substantial number of relevant references published recently on the background of biosorption achievements anddevelopment. Characteristics of S. cerevisiae in heavy metal biosorption are extensively discussed. The yeast can be studied in various forms for different purposes. Metal-binding capacity for various heavy metals by S. cerevisiae under different conditions is compared. Lead and uranium, for instances, could be removed from dilute solutions more effectively in comparison with other metals. Theyeast biosorption largely depends on parameters such as pH, the ratio of the initial metal ion and initial biomass concentration, culture conditions, presence of various ligands and competitive metal ions in solution and to a limited extent on temperature. An assessment of the isotherm equilibrium model, as well as kinetics was performed. The mechanisms of biosorption are understood only to a limitedextent. Elucidation of the mechanism of metal uptake is a real challenge in the field of biosorption. Various mechanism assumptions of metal uptake by S. cerevisiae are summarized. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advantages of S. cerevisiae as biosorbents in metal biosorption. Forms of S.cerevisiae in biosorption research . . . . . . . . . . Biosorption capacity of S. cerevisiae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1. Metal ion uptake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.2. Biosorption capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3. Selectivity and competitive biosorption by S. cerevisiae . 4.4. Comparison with other biomaterials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .428 429 430 430 430 431 432 433

⁎ Corresponding author. Laboratory of Environmental Technology, INET, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China. Tel.: +86 10 62784843; fax: +86 1062771150. 0734-9750/$ - see front matter © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2006.03.001

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J. Wang, C. Chen / Biotechnology Advances 24 (2006) 427–451

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