The metals bioaccumulation in microganisms is mainly a result of superficial phenomena, occurring adsoption, in a stoychometric way, with the anionic radicals of cellular walls followed or not by precipitation of metals. To study the sorption of metals by live bacteria, the Cu2+ and Mn2+ taken up by a Bacillus sp. and a Pseudomonas sp., were quantified isolated from weath rizosphere, from a cloride solution of metals resting in the supernatant, after centrifugation. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with 3 repetitions. The effect of Cu2+ and Mn2+ contents, pH and time of bacterial growth were tested. Bacillus sorbed more Cu2+ and Mn2+ than Pseudomonas in all concentrations of those metals. Cu2+ sorption by both bacteria showed more increase than Mn2+ with rising those metals content in the solution. Alteration of pH from 5,0 to 3,0 reduced the metal sorption. With 90 hour cultivation time, Pseudomonas showed more Cu2+ and Mn2+ sorption than with 16 hour cultivation time. The results agree with the colloids cations exchange phenomena.
adsorption; glycocalix; metals content; pH effects; incubation time