Biosorption of Heavy Metals by Cyanobacteria from Textile Effluents

A diverse group of microorganisms including cyanobacteria can accumulate heavy metals in their cells. The metabolism of cyanobacteria is highly flexible and is adapted to diverse environmental conditions. Cyanobacteria can remove the pollutants, heavy metals, and toxic organic compounds that are present in industrial effluents since they possess the ability to excrete polysaccharides. Textile industry being one of the largest consumers of water, the effluent generated from the textile industry is a major cause for water pollution that is loaded with heavy metals and dyes. This chapter focuses on the potential of cyanobacterial isolates Anabaena -TE1 and Nostoc -TE1 in remediating the textile effluents. The bioassay carried out in sunflower indicates the absence of stress enzymes, peroxidase, and catalase proving the potential of cyanobacteria in removing the heavy metals from the polluted water.