REMOVAL HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION BY THE BIOMASS OF TWO COMMERCIAL STRAINS OF Agaricus bisporus

The objective of this work was studying the removal capacity of Cr (VI) by two commercial mushrooms of the macromycete fungus Agaricus bisporus (white and brown), finding that both biomasses remove 100 mg/L of the metal at 21 minutes, pH 1.0, 28 degrees C, and 100 rpm. On the other hand, if the concentration of the metal is increased, the removal capacity of the two biomasses at 28 degrees C is reduced, since 200 mg/L are removed at 60 and 70 minutes for the white and brown strains, respectively, while with 1.0 g/L of the metal 90.3% and 88.1% are removed. If the concentration of the bioadsorbent is increased, the metal removal also increases. In addition, the presence of other heavy metals does not influence the removal, and with NaOH 0.5 N, Cr (VI) is desorbed 70.4% and 64.1% for both strains. Finally, 5 g of biomass removed 76.2% and 64.1% with the white strain, and 73.1% and 67% with the brown strain, of Cr (VI) present in naturally contaminated soil and water.