Abstract
This study characterized the extruded polymeric substances (EPS) secreted from Synechococcus mundulus cultures under the effect of 2-KGy gamma irradiation dose. The EPS demonstrated seven monosaccharides, two uronic acids and several chemical functional groups: O-H, N-H, =C-H, C=C, C=O, COO-, O-SO3, C-O-C and a newly formed peak at 1593 cm(-1) (secondary imide). The roughness of EPS was 96.71 nm and only 28.4% total loss in weight was observed at 800 degrees C with a high degree of crystallinity quantified as CIDSC (0.722) and CIXRD (0.718). Preliminary comparative analyses of EPS exhibited high protein content in the radiologically modified (R-EPS) than control (C-EPS). Modified EPS were characterized with a high biosorption efficiency, which could be attributed to its high content of uronic acids, protein and sulphates as well as various saccharide monomers. Data revealed that 0.0213 mg L-1 h(-1) is the maximum biosorption rate (SBRmax) of Cr(VI) for R-EPS, whereas 0.0204 mg L-1 h(-1) SBRmax for the C-EPS respectively.