Fungal Bioadsorption of Chromium in Tannery Effluent

In the present study, a fungal strain was isolated from tannery effluent which showed the chromium resistant activity and was identified as Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus niger. Penicillium chrysogenum showed very high level chromium resistance of 800 g/ml by Agar dilution method when compared to Aspergillus niger. The minimal inhibitory concentration of chromium was found to be 512 g/ml of potassium dichromate in Sabouraud's dextrose broth medium. The chromium uptake was significantly high in live pellet cells than killed pellet cells at 540 nm in different time intervals. Reduction of chromium was not prominently found. Removal of chromium by Penicillium chrysogenum in tannery effluents was observed high when compared to Aspergillus niger.