Saccharomyces cerevisiae immobilization in different suports to cadmium contaminated effluents treatment

• Grant number: 05/00610-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2005
• End date: November 30, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Humberto Gomes
• Grantee: Luiz Humberto Gomes
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 06/00540-1 - Saccharomyces cerevisiae immobilization in different supports to cadmium contaminated effluents treatment, BP.TT

Abstract

The development of big cities allied to the fast industrialization brought some environmental disorders, where the heavy metal contaminated industrial residues are poured into rivers and soil, bringing health problems for the community (Tandy et al., 2004). Among heavy metals, cadmium is considered highly dangerous, inducing human cancer, among other problems (Volesky, 1990). Cadmium toxicity first report was done in 1946, Japan, with the Itai-Itai- syndrome, resulting in sever bone (Volesky 1990), due to the long exposition to cadmium.Cadmium is highly used in car industry and telecomunications. It is applied into dye preparations – paints and related products, PVC industries, plastic, batteries, calcarium to correct soil acidity, fertilizers, fungicides, etc (Jordão et al., 1999),being in this way, found in urban waste, sewage and industrial residues (Oliveira, 1995) and rivers, according to the “Companhia de Tecnologia de Saneamento Ambiental” (CETESB) analysis made in 2000, showed cadmium toxic levels in Capivari, Jundiaí, Atibaia, Piracicaba, Piaçaguera, Mogi and High and Medium Tiête rivers, responsible for water distribution of about 20 million people (Gratão, 2003).The major cadmium contamination source is by contaminated food, where water is the principal transporter for the metal. To determine cadmium from solutions, the methodology mostly used is Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS), using air/acetilene with direct liquid aspiration (Ware, 1989).This Project aims cadmium determination by immobilyzed Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells into 3 different supports, evaluating Ph, and other important characteristcs in the biossorption process.The project takes place in Lab. Of Yeast Genetics, ESALQ/USP, where we have being using yeast as model to several relevant studies, including enzimatic immobilization and cadmium biossorption (Del Rio, 2004). We also count on ETE-Piracicamirim (Estação de Tratamento de Esgoto- Piracicaba) support to apply in a larger scale our results, looking towards a efficient and reliable heavy metal cleanage of sewage. (AU)