Adsorption study of metribuzin pesticide on fungus Pleurotus mutilus

The aim of the present work is the valorization of the biomass Pleurotus mutilus fungal biomass in the biosorption of metribuzin pesticide. The present study constitutes of two principal parts. The first part includes physical pretreatment and structural characterization of the biomass. In the second part, different parameters likely to have an influence on the biosorption capacity of metribuzin such as biomass, particle size, biosorbent content, agitation, temperature, pH and metribuzin concentration were studied. The results of adsorption experiments obtained for synthetic water were convincing, and an adsorption rate of metribuzin of approximately 70% was reached for the following optimum conditions: particle size [250-400 μm], pH = [2-3], biomass content 3 g, agitation of 250 rpm, temperature of 25 °C, and initial concentration of metribuzin = 200 mg L−1.