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Use of metal-reducing bacteria for bioremediation of soil contaminated with mixed organic and inorganic pollutants

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Abstract

Mixed contamination by organic and inorganic compounds in soil is a serious problem for remediation. Most laboratory studies and field-scale trials focused on individual contaminant in the past. For concurrent bioremediation by biodegradation and bioleaching processes, we tested metal-reducing microorganism, Geobacter metallireducens. In order to prove the feasibility of the coupled process, multiple-contaminated soil was prepared. Mineralogical analyses have shown the existence of labile forms of As(V) as amorphous and/or weakly sorbed phases in the secondary Fe oxides. In the biotic experiment using G. metallireducens, biodegradation of toluene and bioleaching of As by bacteria were observed simultaneously. Bacteria accelerated the degradation rate of toluene with reductive dissolution of Fe and co-dissolution of As. Although there have been many studies showing each individual process, we have shown here that the idea of concurrent microbial reaction is feasible. However, for the practical use as a remediation technology, more details and multilateral evaluations are required in future studies.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant and the nuclear R&D Project funded by the Korea Government (MEST).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany

    Keun-Young Lee, Julian Bosch & Rainer U. Meckenstock

  2. Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 989-111 Daedeok-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-353, Republic of Korea

    Keun-Young Lee

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  1. Keun-Young Lee
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Correspondence to Rainer U. Meckenstock.

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Lee, KY., Bosch, J. & Meckenstock, R.U. Use of metal-reducing bacteria for bioremediation of soil contaminated with mixed organic and inorganic pollutants. Environ Geochem Health 34 (Suppl 1), 135–142 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-011-9406-2

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