Bioremediation of Chromium ions with filamentous Yeast Trichosporon cutaneum R57

Heavy metal pollution is a serious environmental issue today. Recognizing the ability of microorganisms and biological materials to remove them from the polluted sites makes it cheaper method of heavy metal remediation. Microorganisms remove metals as a result of biosorption and bioaccumulation. In the present work, filamentous yeast Trichosporon cutaneum R57 was cultivated on batch in Andreev medium containing biotin, thiamine and glucose. Metal chromium was added in concentration ranging from 0-10mM (K2Cr2O7.7H2O) to the culture during the stationary phase of the culture growth. Viability, glucose consumption and removal efficiency of the strain was studied. 1.5mM of K2Cr2O7.7H2O was found to be lethal to the strain, consumes maximum glucose at 5mM and removes maximum at 1mM concentration. Removal efficiency decreases with increase in metal concentration.