| This study investigated the feasibility of utilizing fungal biomass for uranium biosorption. Eighteen fungal isolates were screened, and Aspergillus fumigatus isolate 5S1 exhibited the greatest uranium adsorption capacity (over 50%). The impact of a range of factors on biosorption efficacy including media type, concentration and biosorbent treatment were explored. Heat drying proved to be the most effective pretreatment method for the fungal biosorbent compared to lyophilization and immobilization. Media composition significantly affected the process, with the highest uranium biosorption rate using molasses media. A 20% (w/v) concentration of molasses media yielded the optimal uranium biosorption rate (over 80%), while the higher concentrations showing a decrease in biosorption effectiveness. Analyses using SEM, EDX, and FTIR techniques suggested that uranium ions bind to the cell wall surface of Aspergillus fumigatus, with functional groups like carboxyl, hydroxyl, and amino groups playing a role in the adsorption process. These findings propose Aspergillus fumigatus as a promising biosorbent for uranium removal from aquas solutions. Future research can focus on optimizing large-scale biosorption conditions and exploring the reusability of the biosorbent for practical applications. |
