TAF PUBLISHING

Mercury is a toxic pollutant emitted from industrial sectors to the environment and distributed globally. The potential for biological treatment of industrial wastewater contaminated with mercury was evaluated using Pseudomonas putida (P. putida) under various conditions in a bioreactor. The effect of mercury concentration on the P. putida growth of bacteria and also mercury removal was determined. Modifications in optimum operating conditions in shake flask and bioreactor need to be determined so it could bring us to a better result. In this research, optimum conditions for growth of P. putida in shake flask are identified: acclimatization time 24 hours, orbital shaker speed 180rpm, temperature 37°C, pH 7, and nutrient concentration 8g/L. The removal efficiency obtained is 99% for 1ppb, 99.8% for 6ppb, and 98.6% for 19ppb while for 1000ppb mercury, the removal efficiency is 92% for 1 hour and 98% for 28 hours. In 2L bioreactor, same condition as shake flask is applied with agitator speed of 180 rpm and aeration time of 0.50vvm. For 1300ppb and 3000ppb, the removal efficiency is 89% and 94%, respectively. The findings of this study can be used as a reference for future application in industrial wastewater treatment plant.