Skip to main content

Heavy Metals and Other Toxic Inorganic Ions

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Environmental Microbiology

Abstract

The term heavy metals is used arbitrarily to summarize a group of metals, whereby a clear, scientifically accepted definition is lacking. Mercury is the best known toxic heavy metal in the environment. Environmental quality standards as well as natural and anthropogenic occurrences are discussed. Lists of heavy metals often include semimetals such as arsenic and thallium. Selenium and uranium completed the compounds discussed in the chapter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 64.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Heider, J., Böck, A. 1994. Selenium metabolism in microorganisms. Adv. Microbiol. Physiol. 35:71–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lebrun, E., Brugna, M., Baymann, F., Muller, D., Lievremont, D., Lett, M. C., Nitschke, W. 2003. Arsenite oxidase, an ancient bioenergetic enzyme. Mol. Biol. Evol. 20:686–693.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nies, D. H. 1999. Microbial heavy-metal resistance. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 51:730–750.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Selin, N. E. 2011. Science and strategies to reduce mercury risks: a critical review. J. Environ. Monit. 13:2389–2399.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Further Reading

  • Babich, H., Stotzky, G. 1980. Environmental factors that influence the toxicity of heavy metal and gaseous pollutants to microorganisms. Crit. Rev. Microbiol. 8:99–145.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, M. M., Keck, J. L., Battista, J. R. 2010. Rising from the Ashes: DNA repair in Deinococcus radiodurans. PLoS Genet. January; 6(1): e1000815.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croal, L. R., Gralnick, J. A., Malasarn, D., Newman, D. K. 2004. The genetics of geochemistry. Annu. Rev. Genet. 38:175–202.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diels, L., Dong, Q., van der Lelie, D., Baeyens, W., Mergeay, M. 1995. The czc operon of Alcaligenes eutrophus CH34: from resistance mechanism to the removal of heavy metals. J. Industrial Microbiol. 14:142–153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duxbury, T. 1986. Ecological aspects of heavy metal responses in microorganisms. Adv. Microb. Ecol. 8:185–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, A. J., Dodge, C. J., Lu, F., Halada, G. P., Clayton, C. R. 1994. XPS and XANES studies of uranium reduction by Clostridium sp. Environ. Sci. Technol. 28:636–639.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fredrickson, J. K., Kostandarithes, H. M., Li, S. W., Plymale, A. E., Daly, M. J. 2000. Reduction of Fe(III) Cr(VI), and Te(VII) by Deinococcus radiodurans R1. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66:2006–2011.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gadd, G. M. 1992. Metals and microorganisms: a problem of definition. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 100:197–204.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gu, B., Wu, W., Ginder-Vogel, M. A., Yan, H., Fields, M. W., Zhou, J., Fendorf, S., Criddle, C. S., Jardine, P. M. 2005. Bioreduction of uranium in a contaminated soil column. Environ. Sci. Technol. 39:4841–4847.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lovley, D. R. 1995. Bioremediation of organic and metal contaminants with dissimilatory metal reduction. J. Industrial Microbiol. 14:85–93.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lovley, D. R., Phillips, E. J. P. 1992. Reduction of uranium by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 58:850–856.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lovley, D. R., Phillips, E. J. P. 1994. Reduction of chromate by Desulfovibrio vulgaris and its c3 cytochrome. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 60:726–728.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lovley, D. R., Phillips, E. J. P., Groby, Y. A., Landa, E. R. 1991. Microbial reduction of uranium. Nature 350:413–416.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oremland, R. S., Stolz, J. F. 2003. The ecology of arsenic. Science 300:939–944.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzenbach, R. P., Egli, T., Hofstetter, T. B., von Gunten, U., Wehrli, B. 2010. Global water pollution and human health. Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour. 35:109–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Selin, N. E. 2009. Global biogeochemical cycling of mercury: a review. Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour. 34:43–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silver, S., Phung, L. T. 2005. A bacterial view of the periodic table: genes and proteins for toxic inorganic ions. J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 32:587–605.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stolz, J. F., Oremland, R. S. 1999. Bacterial respiration of arsenic and selenium. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 23:615–627.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tebo, B. M., Obraztsova, A. Y. 1998. Sulfate-reducing bacterium grows with Cr(VI), U(VI), Mn(IV), and Fe(III) as electron acceptors. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 162:193–198.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Nostrand, J. D., Wu, W.-M., Wu, L., Deng, Y., Carley, J., Carroll, S., He, Z., Gu, B., Luo, J., Criddle C. S., Watson, D. B., Jardine, P. M., Marsh, T. L., Tiedje, J. M., Hazen, T. C., Zhou, J. 2009. GeoChip analysis of functional communities. Environ. Microbiol. 11:2611–2626.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wild, A. 1993. Soils and the Environment: An Introduction, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wood, J. M. 1974. Biological cycles for toxic elements in environment. Science 183:1049–1052.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, Q., Sanford, R. A., Löffler, F. E. 2006b. Uranium(VI) reduction by Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans strain 2CP-C. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72:3608–3614.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, W. M., Carley, J., Fienen, M., Mehlhorn, T., Lowe, K., Nyman J., Luo, J., Gentile, M. E., Rajan, R., Wagner, D., Hickey, R. F., Gu, B., Watson, D., Cirpka, O. A., Kitanidis, P. K., Jardine, P. M., Criddle, C. S. 2006. Pilot-scale in situ bioremediation of uranium in a highly contaminated aquifer 1: conditioning of a treatment zone. Environ. Sci. Technol. 40:3978–3985.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, W. M., Carley, J., Gentry, T., Ginder-Vogel, M. A., Fienen, M., Mehlhorn, T., Yan, H., Caroll, S., Pace, M. N., Nyman, J., Luo, J., Gentile, M. E., Fields, M. W., Hickey, R. F., Gu, B., Watson, D., Cirpka, O. A., Zhou, J., Fendorf, S., Kitanidis, P. K., Jardine, P. M., Criddle, C. S. 2006. Pilot-scale in situ bioremediation of uranium in a highly contaminated aquifer. 2: U(VI) reduction and geochemical control of U(VI) bioavailability. Environ. Sci. Technol 40:3986–3995.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, W. M., Carley, J., Luo, J., Ginder-Vogel, M. A., Cardenas, E., Leigh, M. B., Hwang, C., Kelly, S. D., Ruan, C., Wu, L., Van Nostrand, J., Gentry, T., Lowe, K., Mehlhorn, T., Carroll, S., Luo, W., Fields, M. W., Gu, B., Watson, D., Kemner, K. M., Marsh, T., Tiedje, J., Zhou, J., Fendorf, S., Kitanidis, P. K., Jardine, P. M., Criddle, C. S. 2007. In situ bioreduction of uranium (VI) to submicromolar levels and reoxidation by dissolved oxygen. Environ. Sci. Technol. 41:5716–5723.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wuertz, S., Mergeay, M. 1997. The impact of heavy metals on soil microbial communities and their activities. In: Modern soil microbiology. J.D. van Elsas, J.T.Trevors, E.M.H. Wellington (eds.), Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, p. 606–642.

    Google Scholar 

  • CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Weast RC (ed.) 1984. Metal Ions in Biological Systems: Mercury and its effects on environment and biology. Volume 34. Editors A. Sigel and H. Sigel. Marcel Dekker Inc., New York, New York. 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  • http://www.ec.gc.ca/MERCURY/EH/EN/eh-mb.cfm?SELECT=EH.

  • http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/wasser-e/themen/oberflaechengewaesser/ow_s2_2.htm Water, Drinking Water, and Water Protection. Overview of quality standards of the EC, the international river basin communities, and LAWA.

  • http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/boden-und-altlasten/boden/bodenschutz/vorsorge.htm Schwermetalle im Boden.

  • http://EnvironmentalChemistry.com/yogi/periodic Kenneth Barbalace. Periodic Table of Elements. EnvironmentalChemistry.com . 1995–2011. Accessed on-line: 3/9/2011.

  • http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/mercury/index.htm Quecksilber.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Walter Reineke .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Reineke, W., Schlömann, M. (2023). Heavy Metals and Other Toxic Inorganic Ions. In: Environmental Microbiology. Springer Spektrum, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-66547-3_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics