Isolation, screening and identification of mercury resistant bacteria from mercury contaminated soil

¹ Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
² Silesian Environmental Doctoral Study, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
³ Department of Environmental Protection, State Higher Vocational School in Tarnów, Mickiewicza 8, 33-100 Tarnów, Poland
⁴ Department of Environment Protection, Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environment Protection, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 30-059 Kraków

^a Corresponding author: dariusz.latowski@uj.edu.pl

Abstract

New bacterial strains resistant to high concentration of mercury were obtained and character iz ed focusing on their potential application in bioremediation. The biological material was isolated from soil contaminated with mercury. The ability to removal of Hg from the liquid medium and the effect of the various pH and mercury concentrations in the environment on bacterial strains growth kinetics were tested. The selected strains were identified by analysis of the 16S ribosome subunit coding sequenc es as Pseudomonas syringae. The analysis of Hg concentration in liquid medium as effect of microbial metabolism demonstrated that P. syringae is able to remove almost entire metal from medium after 120 hours of incubation. Obtained results revealed new ability of the isolated strain P. syringae. Analyzed properties of this soil bacteria species able to reduce concentration of Hg ors immobi lize this metal are promising for industrial wastewater treatment and bioremediation of the soils polluted especially by mercury lamps scrapping, measuring instruments, dry batteries, detonators or burning fuels made from crude oil, which may also contain mercury. Selected bacteria strains provide efficient and relatively low-cost bioremediation of the areas and waters contaminated with Hg.