Due to the increase in contamination of aquatic niches by different heavy metals, different technologies have been studied to eliminate these pollutants from contaminated aquatic sources. So the objective of this work was to determine the removal of cobalt (II) in aqueous solution by the biomass of the aquatic lily or water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) which, is one of the main weeds present in fresh water, due to its rapid reproduction, growth, and high competitiveness, by the colorimetric method of the methyl isobutyl ketone. The removal was evaluated at different pHs (4.0–8.0) for 28 h. The effect of temperature in the range from 20 °C to 50 °C and the removal at different initial concentrations of cobalt (II) of 100 to 500 mg/L was also studied. The highest bioadsorption (100 mg/L) was at 28 h, at pH 5.0 and 28 °C, with a removal capacity of 73.1%, which is like some reports in the literature. Regarding the temperature, the highest removal was at 50 °C, at 28 h, with a removal of 89%. At the metal and biomass concentrations analyzed, its removal was 82% with 400–500 mg/L, and 100% with 5 g of natural biomass at 20 h. In addition, this completely removes the metal in situ (100 mg/L in contaminated water, at 7 days of incubation, with 10 g of natural biomass in 100 mL). So, the natural biomass can be used to remove it from industrial wastewater, even if in vivo, only eliminate 17.3% in 4 weeks.

Industrial effluents from chromium-based products lead to chromium pollution in the environment. Several technologies have been employed for the removal of chromium (Cr) from the environment, including adsorption, ion-exchange, bioremediation, etc. In this study, we isolated a Cr (VI)-resistant fungus, Purpureocillium lilacinum, from contaminated soil, which could reduce chromium. We also characterized a reductant activity of dichromate found in the cellular fraction of the fungus: optimal pH and temperature, effect of enzymatic inhibitors and enhancers, metal ions, use of electron donors, and initial Cr (VI) and protein concentration. This study also shows possible mechanisms that could be involved in the elimination of this metal. We observed an increase in the reduction of Cr (VI) activity in the presence of NADH followed by that of formate and acetate, as electron donor. This reduction was highly inhibited by EDTA followed by NaN₃ and KCN, and this activity showed the highest activity at an optimal pH of 7.0 at 37 °C with a protein concentration of 3.62 µg/mL.

Recently, the removal capacity of different heavy metals from sites contaminated by low-cost materials has been studied, with promising results. These adsorbents include dead microorganisms, clay minerals, agricultural waste, industrial waste, and other materials. The objective of this work was studying the removal capacity of Cr (VI) by a commercial mushroom, the macromycete Agaricus bisporus (white strain), by the Diphenylcarbazide colorimetric method It was found that the biomass removal 100 mg/L of the metal at 21 minutes, pH 1.0, 28^oC, and 100 rpm. On the other hand, if the concentration of the metal is increased, the removal capacity for the analyzed biomass decreases at 28^oC. 200 mg/L are removal at 60 minutes, while with 1 g/L of the metal, its removal 90.3%. If the concentration of the bioadsorbent is increased, the removal of the metal also increases, and the presence of other heavy metals does not influence in the removal of the metal, and this was desorbed 70.4%, with NaOH 0.5 N. Finally, it was observing that after 7 days of incubation, 76.2%, and 66.1%, of Cr (VI) present in naturally contaminated earth and water, were removal, respectively.