Continuous removal of copper, magnesium, and nickel from industrial wastewater utilizing the natural product yersiniabactin immobilized within a packed-bed column

•A metal-binding compound called yersiniabactin (Ybt) was biologically produced.•Scaled packed-bed columns were generated with Ybt adsorbed to the matrix.•Continuous column treatment of industrial wastewater was conducted.•Copper and nickel removal was accomplished together with column regeneration and metal recovery.•Column characterization extended to pH variation and modeling.