Biosorption of heavy metals from aqueous solution by UV-mutant Bacillus subtilis

Biosorption of cadmium from aqueous solution by combination of microorganisms and chitosan: response surface methodology for optimization of removal conditions

The food-grade adsorbents of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (10⁸ CFU/mL), Bifidobacterium longum (10⁸ CFU/mL) and chitosan (1%w/v) alone or in combination were used for biosorption of cadmium (Cd) from aqueous solution. Among the tested adsorbents, combination of B. longum and chitosan had the highest efficiency. Therefore, biosorption process with B. longum/chitosan as the most efficient biosorbent was optimized by variables of pH (3-6), temperature (4-37 °C), contact time (5-180 min) and Cd concentrations (0.01-5 mg/L) using RSM. Twenty-seven tests were carried out and the data fitted to the second-order polynomial models. Results revealed that 99.11% of Cd was reduced within 180 min at concentration of 2.5 mg/L, pH 6 and temperature of 20.5 °C that were considered as the optimal conditions for Cd removal. The trend of isotherm was more fitted to the Langmuir model and maximum biosorption capacity was obtained about 3.61 mg/g. The pseudo-second-order fitted the biosorption kinetics for Cd ions. The B. longum/chitosan biosorbent exhibited the high affinity to Cd ion in the presence of coexisting metal ions. It could remove 81.18% of Cd from simulated gastrointestinal tract. Thus, B. longum/chitosan can have good potential as an effective adsorbent for Cd biosorption from aqueous solutions and human body.

Removal of Chromium Species by Adsorption: Fundamental Principles, Newly Developed Adsorbents and Future Perspectives

Emerging chromium (Cr) species have attracted increasing concern. A majority of Cr species, especially hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), could lead to lethal effects on human beings, animals, and aquatic lives even at low concentrations. One of the conventional water-treatment methodologies, adsorption, could remove these toxic Cr species efficiently. Additionally, adsorption possesses many advantages, such as being cost-saving, easy to implement, highly efficient and facile to design. Previous research has shown that the application of different adsorbents, such as carbon nanotubes (carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene oxide (GO) and its derivatives), activated carbons (ACs), biochars (BCs), metal-based composites, polymers and others, is being used for Cr species removal from contaminated water and wastewater. The research progress and application of adsorption for Cr removal in recent years are reviewed, the mechanisms of adsorption are also discussed and the development trend of Cr treatment by adsorption is proposed.

Pollutant removal from cheese processing effluent using effective indigenous natural scavengers

The goal of this study was to come up with an efficient method for treating cheese production wastewater. Because the effluent has a higher concentration of organic and inorganic materials, the indigenous microbial treatment process was used to effectively remove total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and color without the addition of any nutrients. The indigenous microorganisms were tested for color, TDS, and COD elimination by growing them in "nutrient broth medium" loaded with different amounts of cheese effluent. The isolates were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing, and the results revealed that strain 1 was Enterobacter cloacae, strain 2 was Lactococcus garvieae, and strains 3 and 4 were Bacillus cereus and Bacillus mycoides, respectively. After 36 h of incubation, the data were evaluated. Among all the microbes, E. cloacae reduced TDS and COD from the effluent the most (80 ± 0.2% and 87 ± 0.4% COD, respectively). When compared to individual species, consortia were more efficient (86 ± 0.2% TDS and 90 ± 0.3% COD). On treatment, the correlation coefficient "r" for TDS and COD elimination was found to be 1, resulting in a positive linear connection. The current study suggests that microbial therapies are both effective and environmentally beneficial.

Biosorption optimization of lead(II) and cadmium(II) ions by two novel nanosilica-immobilized fungal mutants

AIMS

This study aims at immobilization of fungal mutants on nanosilica-carriers for designing efficient biosorbents as a significant new technology for decontamination practices and maximizing their heavy metal (HM) sorption proficiency through the experimental design methodology.

MATERIALS AND RESULTS

Endophytic fungal mutant strains, Chaetomium globosum El26 mutant and Alternaria alternata S5 mutant were heat inactivated then immobilized, each separately, on nanosilica (NSi) carriers to formulate two separated nano-biosorbents. The formulated NSi-Chaetomium globosum El26 mutant (NSi-Chae El26 m) was investigated for Pb⁺² uptake while, the formulated NSi-Alternaria alternata S5 mutant (NSi-Alt S5 m) was investigated for Cd⁺² uptake, each through a batch equilibrium protocol. Before and after the metal sorption process, the designed nano-biosorbents were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier Transform Infrared analysis. Sorption pH, contact time, sorbent concentration, and initial HM concentration, were statistically optimized using a Box-Behnken design (BBD). Results showed that NSi-Chae El26 m was efficient in Pb⁺² uptake with maximum biosorption capacities of 199.0 while, NSi-Alt S5 m was efficient in Cd⁺² uptake with maximum biosorption capacities of 162.0 mg∙g^-1 . Moreover, the equilibrium data indicated that the adsorption of Pb⁺² and Cd⁺² by the tested nano-biosorbents fitted to the Freundlich isotherm.

CONCLUSIONS

The formulated nano-biosorbents resulted in higher HM biosorption of metal ions from aqueous solution than that obtained by the free fungal biomass. The biosorption statistical modelling described the interactions between the tested sorption parameters and predicted the optimum values for maximum HM biosorption capacity by the two designed nano-biosorbents.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

These findings verify that members of the endophytic fungal genera Alternaria and Chaetomium are suitable to produce nano-biosorbents for decontamination practices after treatment by gamma mutagenesis, heat inactivation, and nanosilica immobilization. Moreover, statistical optimization can assist to evaluate the optimal conditions to produce such bioremediation material.

Ureolytic bacteria from electronic waste area, their biological robustness against potentially toxic elements and underlying mechanisms

Ureolytic bacteria can be a promising mediator used for the immobilization of potentially toxic elements via microbially-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) process from biodegradable ions to carbonate form. Electronic waste (E-waste) environment is very complex compared to general metal contaminated soil, however, MICP has not been studied under such an environment. In this study, three bacterial strains were successfully isolated from an E-waste area in Guiyu, China, and indicated to have positive ureolytic behavior with significant heavy metal resistance (specific to Cu and Pb), among which, a strain of Lysinibacillus sp. was proven to show a great persistence in heavy metal immobilization. This featured strain can tolerate up to 100 ppm copper and 1000 ppm lead according to minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) results, and its urease activity was well-adapted to metal effects. Results also revealed the positive correlation (R² = 0.9819) between metal concentrations and surface layer protein content present in bacterial cells. The underlying mechanism on the role of S-layer protein in heavy metal immobilization during biocalcification was elucidated. The metabolic system of heavy metal resistance for these E-waste derived isolates is novel and represents a point of interest for possible environmental applications to immobilize toxic heavy metals from electronic waste sites.

Effects of natural organic matter on cadmium mobility in paddy soil: A review

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in paddy soil has caused public concern. The uptake of Cd by rice plants depends on soil Cd mobility, which is in turn substantially influenced by organic matter (OM). In this review, we first summarize the fate of Cd in soil and the role of OM. We then focus on the effects of OM on Cd mobility in paddy soil and the factors influencing the remedial effectiveness of OM amendments. We further discuss the performance of straw incorporation in the remediation of Cd-contaminated paddy soils reported in laboratory and field studies. Considering the huge production of organic materials (such as straw) in agriculture, the use of natural OM for soil remediation has obvious appeal due to the environmental benefits and low cost. Although there have been successful application cases, the properties of OM amendments and soil can significantly affect the remedial performance of the OM amendments. Importantly, straw incorporation alone does not often decrease the mobility of Cd in soil or the Cd content in rice grains. Careful evaluation is required when considering natural OM amendments, and the factors and mechanisms that influence their remedial effectiveness need further investigation in paddy soil with realistic Cd concentrations.

Brevundimonas diminuta MYS6 associated Helianthus annuus L. for enhanced copper phytoremediation

Natural occurring metal-tolerant microbial population have replaced conventional expensive metal remediation approach since the last few years. The present study focuses on investigating the potential of a copper-tolerant plant growth promoting rhizobacterial strain Brevundimonas diminuta MYS6 for Cu bioremediation, plant growth promotion and Cu uptake in Helianthus annuus L. Box-Behnken Design of response surface methodology optimized the influencing parameters such as pH, temperature and Cu concentration. At optimized conditions of pH (5), temperature (32.5 °C) and Cu concentration (250 mg/L), the rhizobacteria followed a sigmoid growth curve pattern with maximum Cu removal of 94.8% in the stationary phase of growth. Cu exposed Brevundimonas diminuta MYS6 produced increased EPS (18.6%), indicating their role in internal defence against Cu stress. The FTIR analysis suggested the role of carboxylic acids, alcohols and aliphatic amine groups in Cu bioremoval. Furthermore, the results of pot experiments conducted with Helianthus annuus L. var. CO4 and Brevundimonas diminuta MYS6 showed enhanced plant growth and Cu uptake. The rhizobacteria increased root and shoot length, fresh and dry plant biomass and leaf chlorophyll by 1.5, 1.7, 9.9, 15.8 and 2.1 fold. The plant biomass mediate enhanced Cu uptake in roots and shoots was found to be 2.98 and 4.1 folds higher when compared to non-inoculated treatment. Henceforth the results of the study evidence the rhizobacterial strain Brevundimonas diminuta MYS6 as an efficient bio-inoculant for copper remediation.

Negligible effect of potentially toxic elements and rare earth elements on mercury removal from contaminated waters by green, brown and red living marine macroalgae

Mercury (Hg) removal by six different living marine macroalgae, namely, Ulva intestinalis, Ulva lactuca, Fucus spiralis, Fucus vesiculosus, Gracilaria sp., and Osmundea pinnatifida was investigated in mono and multi-contamination scenarios. All macroalgae were tested under the same experimental conditions, evaluating the competition effects with all elements at the same initial molar concentration of 1 μmol dm^-3. The presence of the main potentially toxic elements (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb) and rare earth elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Eu, Gd, Tb, and Y) has not affected the removal of Hg. Characterizations of the macroalgae by FTIR before and after the biosorption/bioaccumulation assays suggest that Hg was mainly linked to sulfur-functional groups, while the removal of other elements was related with other functional groups. The mechanisms involved point to biosorption of Hg on the macroalgae surface followed by possible incorporation of this metal into the macroalgae by metabolically active processes. Globally, the green macroalgae (Ulva intestinalis, Ulva lactuca) showed the best performances for Hg, potential toxic elements and rare earth elements removal from synthetic seawater spiked with 1 μmol dm^-3 of each element, at room temperature and pH 8.5.

Nonreductive biomineralization of uranium by Bacillus subtilis ATCC-6633 under aerobic conditions

Nonreductive biomineralization of uranium is a promising methodology for the removal of uranium contamination as it provides stable products and wide applications. However, the efficiency of mineralization has become a major obstacle for the removal of uranium contamination by this technology, and the mineralizing process still remains largely obscure. To solve this problem in a practical way, we report a fast nonreductive biomineralization process of uranium by Bacillus subtilis ATCC-6633, a widespread bacterium with environmentally-friendly applications. In this system, we demonstrated that the size and crystallization degree of the obtained nonreduced biomineralized products is significantly superior to the results reported in the literature under comparable conditions. Meanwhile, combined with SEM, TEM, and FT-IR, a mineralization process of uranium transfer from the outer surface of the Bacillus subtilis ATCC-6633 to the internal has been clearly observed, which was accompanied by the evolution of amorphous U(VI) to crystalline uramphite. This work uncovers whole-process insights into the nonreductive biomineralization of uranium by Bacillus subtilis ATCC-6633, paving a new way for the rapid and sustained removal of uranium contamination.

Optimization of cadmium biosorption by Shewanella putrefaciens using a Box-Behnken design

Microbial adsorption of heavy metals has been attracted more interest in the recent years. However, there are very few studies in investigating the biosorption of heavy metals by Shewanella putrefaciens, which is a metal reducing bacterium. Firstly, the effects of contact time, pH value, temperature, biomass dosage and initial cadmium concentration on the cadmium adsorption by Shewanella putrefaciens were studied by single factor experiments. Then, the response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box-Behnken design was used to optimize the cadmium adsorption by Shewanella putrefaciens. The results showed that the empirical model was suitable for experimental data, and the maximum cadmium removal efficiency by Shewanella putrefaciens was 86.54% under the optimum conditions of contact time 4.0 days, pH value 5, initial cadmium concentration of 20 mg/L, which was further verified by experiments. In addition, scanning electron microscope - Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM-EDS) analysis showed that the bacteria were seriously deformed, and a "bamboo" shape was observed on the surface which consisted of cadmium according to the EDS analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis was used to evaluate the possible functional groups involving in interaction between cells and metal ions. The results showed that the distribution of cadmium on the cell surface was related to the carboxyl, amide, hydroxyl and phosphoric acid groups of Shewanella putrefaciens. These studies can provide a comprehensive understanding of the process and mechanism of microbial removal of heavy metals, and theoretical support for the follow-up practice of using biological adsorbents to remediate heavy metal contaminated soil.

Sorption mechanism and distribution of cadmium by different microbial species

Bioremediation programs of cadmium (Cd) by microorganisms have being proposed, but the underlying mechanism of the remediation ion remains unexplored. Here, the sorption efficiency and subcellular fraction distribution of Cd in three selected microbial species were investigated. Our results showed that both species of the microorganisms and initial Cd concentrations strongly affected the Cd sorption capacity. In the three microbial species, the Cd removal efficiency increased with decreased Cd concentrations. Specifically, Hansenula anomala removed the highest Cd ions in low concentration of 0.05 mg L^-1; while in medium concentration of 0.5 mg L^-1 and high concentration of 5 mg L^-1, Bacillus subtilis removed the highest Cd ions. The subcellular fractionation allocation showed that Cd was mainly allocated on cell wall (mantle and inner wall) in Pseudomonas stutzeri and B. subtilis, while cell cytomembrane accumulated similar amount of Cd compared to the cell wall of H. anomala at concentration of 0.5 mg L^-1. Meanwhile, the Cd distributions on cell subcellular fractionation of the three species changed along the contact times, suggesting varied migration models during the biosorption process. Moreover, the functional groups involved in biosorption differed among the species based on Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis. Our results have important implications for developing and improving Cd remediation by microorganisms, which is a low-cost and environmentally friendly bioremediation strategy of Cd pollution in environments.

Removal of industrial dyes and heavy metals by Beauveria bassiana: FTIR, SEM, TEM and AFM investigations with Pb(II)

Presence of industrial dyes and heavy metal as a contaminant in environment poses a great risk to human health. In order to develop a potential technology for remediation of dyes (Reactive remazol red, Yellow 3RS, Indanthrene blue and Vat novatic grey) and heavy metal [Cu(II), Ni(II), Cd(II), Zn(II), Cr(VI) and Pb(II)] contamination, present study was performed with entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana (MTCC no. 4580). High dye removal (88-97%) was observed during the growth of B. bassiana while removal percentage for heavy metals ranged from 58 to 75%. Further, detailed investigations were performed with Pb(II) in terms of growth kinetics, effect of process parameters and mechanism of removal. Growth rate decreased from 0.118 h^-1 (control) to 0.031 h^-1, showing 28% reduction in biomass at 30 mg L^-1 Pb(II) with 58.4% metal removal. Maximum Pb(II) removal was observed at 30 °C, neutral pH and 30 mg L^-1 initial metal concentration. FTIR analysis indicated the changes induced by Pb(II) in functional groups on biomass surface. Further, microscopic analysis (SEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM)) was performed to understand the changes in cell surface morphology of the fungal cell. SEM micrograph showed a clear deformation of fungal hyphae, whereas AFM studies proved the increase in surface roughness (RSM) in comparison to control cell. Homogenous bioaccumulation of Pb(II) inside the fungal cell was clearly depicted by TEM-high-angle annular dark field coupled with EDX. Present study provides an insight into the mechanism of Pb(II) bioremediation and strengthens the significance of using entomopathogenic fungus such as B. bassiana for metal and dye removal.

Optimization of copper, lead and cadmium biosorption onto newly isolated bacterium using a Box-Behnken design

Due to the progressive development of industrial and technological activities, heavy metal contamination is increasing each year and it poses a serious health and environmental risk. Microorganisms are capable of removing heavy metals from a contaminated environment. In this work, 51 microbial strains were isolated from heavy metal contaminated water and soil. The JAW1 strain, identified as Pseudomonas azotoformans, was selected and applied in bioremediation of the specific mixture of metals (Cd, Cu, and Pb) in an aqueous medium. The Box-Behnken design was used to optimize the biosorption process, with three factors: pH, initial metal concentration, concentration of the biosorbent. For the strain P. azotoformans JAW1, the optimal conditions were pH = 6.0, 25mg/L of each metal and 2g/L, following removal levels were achieved: Cd 44,67%; Cu 63,32%; Pb 78,23%. The possible interactions of cell-metal ions were evaluated using FT-IR analysis. The study indicated the presence of groups, which may be responsible for bonding of metal ions. The studies conducted on bioremediation mechanisms indicated that metal accumulation could occur on the cell surface (biosorption) where the amount of adsorbed metals reached: Cd 98,57%, Cu 69,76%, Pb 88,58%. P. azotoformans JAW1 exhibited a potential for application in the bioremediation of mining wastewater with complex metal contaminations.

Adsorption of heavy metals from aqueous solution by UV-mutant Bacillus subtilis loaded on biochars derived from different stock materials

Two kinds of biochars, one derived from corn straw (CBC) and one from pig manure (PBC), were used as the carriers of a bacterium (B38) to adsorb heavy metals in solution. CBC exhibited high affinity to Hg(II), while PBC showed large adsorption capacity of Pb(II). After loading with B38, the sorption capacity of the co-sorbents were enhanced for Pb(II), but weakened for Hg(II). In a binary system, the overall adsorption capacity to Hg-Pb (CBC+B38, 136.7mg/g; PBC+B38, 181.3mg/g) on co-sorbents was equal to the sum of the single-component values for Hg(II) and Pb(II). Electrostatic interactions and precipitation are the major mechanisms in the adsorption of Hg(II). In contrast, cation-π interactions and precipitation were involved in the sorption process of Pb(II). Moreover, the sorption sites of Hg(II) and Pb(II) partially overlapped on the biochar surface, but were different on co-sorbents. Hence, the co-sorbents have an advantage over the biochar alone in the removal of heavy metal mixtures.

Oxidative Stress and Heavy Metals in Plants

Oxidative stress is a pathological process related to not only animal kingdom but also plants. Regarding oxidative stress in plants, heavy metals are frequently discussed as causative stimuli with relevance to ecology. Because heavy metals have broad technological importance, they can easily contaminate the environment. Much of previous effort regarding the harmful impact of the heavy metals was given to their toxicology in the animals and humans. Their implication in plant pathogeneses is less known and remains underestimated.The current paper summarizes basic facts about heavy metals, their distribution in soil, mobility, accumulation by plants, and initiation of oxidative stress including the decline in basal metabolism. The both actual and frontier studies in the field are summarized and discussed. The major pathophysiological pathways are introduced as well and link between heavy metals toxicity and their ability to initiate an oxidative damage is provided. Mobility and bioaccessibility of the metals is also considered as key factors in their impact on oxidative stress development in the plant. The metals like lead, mercury, copper, cadmium, iron, zinc, nickel, vanadium are depicted in the text.Heavy metals appear to be significant contributors to pathological processes in the plants and oxidative stress is probably an important contributor to the effect. The most sensitive plant species are enlisted and discussed in this review. The facts presented here outline next effort to investigate pathological processes in the plants.

Biosorption and bioaccumulation characteristics of cadmium by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) not only promote growth and heavy metal uptake by plants but are promising biosorbents for heavy metals remediation. However, there exist arguments over whether extracellular adsorption (biosorption) or intracellular accumulation (bioaccumulation) play dominant roles in Cd(ii) adsorption. Therefore, three cadmium-resistant PGPR, Cupriavidus necator GX_5, Sphingomonas sp. GX_15, and Curtobacterium sp. GX_31 were used to study bioaccumulation and biosorption mechanisms under different initial Cd(ii) concentrations, using batch adsorption experiments, desorption experiments, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In this study, with the increase of the initial Cd(ii) concentrations, the removal efficiency of strains decreased and the adsorption capacity improved. The highest Cd(ii) removal efficiency values were 25.05%, 53.88%, and 86.06% for GX_5, GX_15, and GX_31 with 20 mg l⁻¹ of Cd(ii), while the maximum adsorption capacity values were 7.97, 17.13, and 26.43 mg g⁻¹ of GX_5, GX_15, and GX_31 with 100 mg l⁻¹ of Cd(ii). Meanwhile, the removal efficiency and adsorption capacity could be ordered as GX_31 > GX_15 > GX_5. The dominant adsorption mechanism for GX_5 was bioaccumulation (50.66–60.38%), while the dominant mechanisms for GX_15 and GX_31 were biosorptions (60.29–64.89% and 75.93–79.45%, respectively). The bioaccumulation and biosorption mechanisms were verified by SEM-EDX, TEM and FTIR spectroscopy. These investigations could provide a more comprehensive understanding of metal-bacteria sorption reactions as well as practical application in remediation of heavy metals.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) not only promote growth and heavy metal uptake by plants but are promising biosorbents for heavy metals remediation.

Evaluation of biochars from different stock materials as carriers of bacterial strain for remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil

Two kinds of biochars, one derived from corn straw and one from pig manure, were studied as carriers of a mutant genotype from Bacillus subtilis (B38) for heavy metal contaminated soil remediation. After amendment with biochar, the heavy metal bioavailability decreased. Moreover, the heavy metal immobilization ability of the biochar was enhanced by combining it with B38. The simultaneous application of B38 and pig manure-derived biochar exhibited a superior effect on the promotion of plant growth and the immobilization of heavy metals in soil. The plant biomass increased by 37.9% and heavy metal concentrations in the edible part of lettuce decreased by 69.9–96.1%. The polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) profiles revealed that pig manure-derived biochar could enhance the proliferation of both exotic B38 and native microbes. These results suggest that B38 carried by pig manure-derived biochar may be a promising candidate for the remediation of soils contaminated by multiple heavy metals.

Bioremediation of Cd by strain GZ-22 isolated from mine soil based on biosorption and microbially induced carbonate precipitation

Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is an emerging and promising bioremediation technology to restore the environment polluted by heavy metals. Carbonate-biomineralization microbe can immobilize heavy metals from mobile species into stable crystals. In the present manuscript, laboratory batch studies were conducted to evaluate the Cd removal ability based on biosorption and MICP, using carbonate-biomineralization microbe GZ-22 isolated from a mine soil. This strain was identified as a Bacillus sp. according to 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. Results of batch experiments revealed that MICP of the strain GZ-22 showed a greater potential to remove Cd than biomass biosorption under different impact factors such as pH, initial Cd concentration, and contact time. The optimum pH for MICP was 6 (50.34 %), while for biomass biosorption, it was 5 (38.81 %). When the initial concentration of Cd was 10 mg/L, removal efficiency induced by MICP was 53.06 % after 3 h, which was about 11 % greater than the removal efficiency induced by adsorption. The Cd removal efficiency increased as reaction time. The maximum removal efficiency based on MICP can reach 60.72 % at 10 mg/L for 48 h compared with 56.27 % by biosorption. X-ray diffractomer (XRD) revealed that Cd was transformed into CdCO₃ by MICP of GZ-22. The present illustrated that the carbonate-biomineralization microbe GZ-22 can offer an effective and eco-friendly approach to immobilize soluble Cd and that MICP may play an important role in heavy metal bioremediation.

A Bacillus sp. isolated from sediments of the Sarno River mouth, Gulf of Naples (Italy) produces a biofilm biosorbing Pb(II)

A Pb-resistant bacterial strain (named hereinafter Pb15) has been isolated from highly polluted marine sediments at the Sarno River mouth, Italy, using an enrichment culture to which Pb(II) 0.48mmoll(-1) were added. 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Sanger) allowed assignment of the isolate to the genus Bacillus, with Bacillus pumilus as the closest species. The isolate is resistant to Pb(II) with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4.8mmoll(-1) and is also resistant to Cd(II) and Mn(II) with MIC of 2.22mmoll(-1) and 18.20mmoll(-1), respectively. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) showed that Pb inoculated in the growth medium is absorbed by the bacterial cells at removal efficiencies of 31.02% and 28.21% in the presence of 0.48mmoll(-1) or 1.20mmoll(-1) Pb(II), respectively. Strain Pb15 forms a brown and compact biofilm when grown in presence of Pb(II). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) confirm that the biofilm contains Pb, suggesting an active biosorption of this metal by the bacterial cells, sequestering 14% of inoculated Pb as evidenced by microscopic analyses. Altogether, these observations support evidence that strain Pb15 has potentials for being used in bioremediation of its native polluted sediments, with engineering solutions to be found in order to eliminate the adsorbed Pb before replacement of sediments in situ.

The effect of cold stress on the proteome of the marine bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens BA3SM1 and its ability to cope with metal excess

This study examined the effect of cold stress on the proteome and metal tolerance of Pseudomonas fluorescens BA3SM1, a marine strain isolated from tidal flat sediments. When cold stress (+10 °C for 36 h) was applied before moderate metal stress (0.4 mM Cd, 0.6 mM Cd, 1.5 mM Zn, and 1.5 mM Cu), growth disturbances induced by metal, in comparison with respective controls, were reduced for Cd and Zn while they were pronounced for Cu. This marine strain was able to respond to cold stress through a number of changes in protein regulation. Analysis of the predicted differentially expressed protein functions demonstrated that some mechanisms developed under cold stress were similar to those developed in response to Cd, Zn, and Cu. Therefore, pre-cold stress could help this strain to better counteract toxicity of moderate concentrations of some metals. P. fluorescens BA3SM1 was able to remove up to 404.3 mg Cd/g dry weight, 172.5 mg Zn/g dry weight, and 11.3 mg Cu/g dry weight and its metal biosorption ability seemed to be related to the bacterial growth phase. Thus, P. fluorescens BA3SM1 appears as a promising agent for bioremediation processes, even at low temperatures.

The immobilization of heavy metals in soil by bioaugmentation of a UV-mutant Bacillus subtilis 38 assisted by NovoGro biostimulation and changes of soil microbial community

Bacillus subtilis 38 (B38) is a mutant species of Bacillus subtilis acquired by UV irradiation with high cadmium tolerance. This study revealed that B38 was a good biosorbent for the adsorption of multiple heavy metals (cadmium, chromium, mercury, and lead). Simultaneous application of B38 and NovoGro (SNB) exhibited a synergetic effect on the immobilization of heavy metals in soil. The heavy metal concentrations in the edible part of the tested plants (lettuce, radish, and soybean) under SNB treatment decreased by 55.4-97.9% compared to the control. Three single extraction methods, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), Mehlich 3 (M3), and the first step of the Community Bureau of Reference method (BCR1), showed good predictive capacities for metal bioavailability to leafy, rhizome, and leguminous plant, respectively. The polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) profiles revealed that NovoGro could enhance the proliferation of both exotic B38 and native microbes. Finally, the technology was checked in the field, the reduction in heavy metal concentrations in the edible part of radish was in the range between 30.8% and 96.0% after bioremediation by SNB treatment. This study provides a practical strategy for the remediation of farmland contaminated by multiple heavy metals.