Biosorption technology was used to remove hazardous materials from wastewater,
herbicide, heavy metals, and radioactive compounds, based on binding capacities of
various biological materials. Biosorption process can be explained by two steps; the
first step is that target contaminants is in contact with microorganisms and the second
is that the adsorbed target contaminants is infiltrated with inner cell through
metabolically mediated or physico-chemical pathways of uptake. Until recently, no
information is available to explain the definitive mechanism of biosorption. The
purpose of this study is to evaluate biosorption capabilities of organic matters using
activated sludge and to investigate affecting factors upon biosorption. Over 49% of
organic matter could be removed by positive biosorption reaction under anoxic condition
within 10minutes. The biosorption capacities were constant at around 50 mg-COD/mg-MLSS
for all batch experiments. As starvation time increased under aerobic or anaerobic
conditions, biosorption capacity increased since higher stressed microorganisms by
starvation was more brisk. Starvation stress of microorganisms was higher at aerobic
condition than anaerobic one. As temperature increased or easily biodegradable carbon
sources were used, biosorption capacities increased. Consequently, biosorption can be
estimated by biological-adsorbed capability of the bacterial cell-wall and we can
achieve the cost-effective and non-residual denitrification with applying biosorption
to the bio-reduction of nitrate.