Optimization of As (III) and As (V) removal by Saccharomyces cerevisiae biomass for biosorption of critical levels in the food and water resources

•Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be applied for removal of As ions from aqueous solutions.•S. cerevisiae is an efficient biosorbent in very low concentration (ppb) of Arsenic.•Three significant variables are defined base a fractional design.•Optimum biosorption rate of 66.2 and 15.8% were found for As III and V at the initial concentration of 132 μg/L. In this study bioremoval ability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for arsenic ions at very low concentrations in aqueous solution was evaluated. Three significant variables: solution pH, arsenic ion concentration and inoculum size were studied by using response surface methodology to maximize biosorption of arsenic ions by central composite design via of twenty test treatment combination. Results of arsenic ions biosorption were validated based on analytical quality assurance before performing instrumental measurements. The adjusted conditions in the best treatment combination were 5.0, 95.0 μg/L and 32.5 × 107 colony forming units for pH, and inoculum size, respectively. Results show that arsenic ions biosorption in aqueous solution is affected by all the three factors. An optimum arsenic (III) and arsenic (V) biosorption rate of 66.2% and 15.8% were found at initial of 132.4 and 132.8 μg/L, and Inoculum size of 48.5 and 47.5 × 107 CFU, respectively. The present study show that in the optimized conditions, S. cerevisiae has suitable ability to remove very low amounts of arsenic (III) ions from aquatic solutions. as a safe and eco-friendly strategy for decontamination arsenic (III), which is the most toxic form of arsenic.