Use of Chrysosporium/carbon nanotubes for preconcentration of ultra-trace cadmium levels from various samples after extensive studies on its adsorption properties

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 335; p. 139168
• Main Authors: Naseri, Ali, Abed, Zahra, Rajabi, Maryam, Lal, Basant, Asghari, Alireza, Baigenzhenov, Omirserik, Arghavani-Beydokhti, Somayeh, Hosseini-Bandegharaei, Ahmad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2023
• Subjects: Cd (II) trace analysis; Chrysosporium tropicum; CNTs; Equilibrium; Kinetics; Thermodynamics; Thermodynamics; Cd (II) trace analysis; Kinetics; CNTs; Equilibrium; Chrysosporium tropicum
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139168

Carbon nanotubes were used to immobilize Chrysosporium fungus for building an adequate adsorbent to be used as an desirable sorbent for preconcentration and measurement of cadmium ultra-trace levels in various samples. After characterization, the potential of Chrysosporium/carbon nanotubes for the sorption of Cd(II) ions was scrutinized by the aid of central composite design, and comprehensive studies of sorption equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamic aspects were accomplished. Then, the composite was utilized for preconcentration of ultra-trace cadmium levels, by a mini-column packed with Chrysosporium/carbon nanotubes, before its determination with ICP-OES. The outcomes vouchsafed that (i) Chrysosporium/carbon nanotube has a high tendency for selective and rapid sorption of cadmium ion, at pH 6.1, and (ii) kinetic, equilibrium, and thermodynamic studies showed a high affinity of the Chrysosporium/carbon nanotubes for cadmium ion. Also, the outcomes displayed that cadmium can quantitatively be sorbed at a flow speed lesser than 7.0 mL/min and a 1.0 M HCl solution (3.0 mL) was sufficient to desorbe the analyte. Eventually, preconcentration and measurement of Cd(II) in different foods and waters were successfully accomplished with good accuracy, high precision (RSDs ≤5.65%), and low limit of detection (0.015 μg/L).
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•Chrysosporium tropicum fungus was isolated from a toenail onychomycosis case.•Its adsorptive affinity toward cadmium was safely exploited by loading the dead fungus on CNTs.•Composite was tested both for removal of cadmium and its preconcentration from different samples.•Extensive scrutinization was performed on the sorption properties of the fabricated composite.•The composite was employed for preconcentration and determination of cadmium in foods and waters.