Author(s)

N. F. Y. Tam, A. Chong & Y. S. Wong

Abstract

Removal of tributyltin (TBT) from wastewater by microalgae N. F. Y. Tam, A. Chong & Y. S. Wong ' ~ e ~ a r t m e n t of Biology and Chernistly, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. Abstract The biosorption and biodegradation of tributyltin (TBT) by free cells of a resistant rnicroalgal species, Chlorella sorokiniana at two different densities, 1x10~ cells ml" (low) and 1 x107 (high) were investigated. TBT in contaminated water was continuously removed by rnicroalgal cells and reached a 54% and 74% removal at the end of 14 days treatment in low and hgh density cultures, respectively. The pattern of TBT removal in both densities was similar: with the decreases of TBT in water, TBT uptake by algal cells increased, reached a peak and declined to low levels towards the end of the treatment period. In the high density culture, total amounts of TBT uptake, including the adsorption on cell surface and absorption inside the cells, increased from 109 to 159pg TBT' from days 1 to 7, then decli

Keywords