Cadmium biosorption by a glyphosate-degrading bacterium, a novel biosorbent isolated from pesticide-contaminated agricultural soils

In this study, biosorption of cadmium (II) ions from aqueous solutions by a glyphosate degrading bacterium, Ochrobactrum sp. GDOS, was investigated in batch conditions. The isolate was able to utilize 3 mM GP as the sole phosphorous source, favorable to bacterium growth and survival. The effect of different basic parameters such as initial pH, contact time, initial concentrations of cadmium ion and temperature on cadmium uptake was evaluated. The adsorption process for Cd (II) is well fitted with Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Experimental data were also tested in terms of biosorption kinetics using pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. Maximum metal uptake qmax was obtained as 83.33 mg g−1. The sorption process of cadmium onto the Ochrobactrum sp. GDOS biomass followed second-order rate kinetic (R2 = 0.9986). A high desorption efficiency was obtained in pH 2. Reusability of the biomass was examined under successive biosorption–desorption cycle repeated thrice. The characteristics of the possible interactions between biosorbent and metal ions were also evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction analysis.