Volatilization of mercury compounds by methylmercury-volatilizing bacteria in Minamata Bay sediment

The characteristics of the methylmercury-volatilizing bacteria in sediments of Minamata Bay, Japan, were studied, as was the volatilization of various mercury compounds by these bacteria. Of 1068 bacterial strains isolated from sediment samples, only 80 were found to volatilize methylmercury by meas...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 1988-11, Vol.41 (5), p.651-656
Main Authors: Nakamura, K, Sakata, T, Nakahara, H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
BACTERIA
Bacteria - metabolism
BACTERIE
COMPOSE ORGANOMERCURIEN
COMPUESTO ORGANICO DEL MERCURIO
CONTAMINACION DE SEDIMENTOS
CONTAMINANTES
COQUILLAGES ET CRUSTACES
ETUVAGE
FISH
Industrial Waste
JAPAN
JAPON
MARISCOS
MERCURE
MERCURIO
MERCURY
Methylmercury Compounds - metabolism
ORGANOMERCURIAL COMPOUNDS
PESCADO
POISSON (ALIMENT)
POLLUANT
POLLUTANTS
POLLUTION DES SEDIMENTS
SEDIMENT POLLUTION
SHELLFISH
STEAMING
VAPORIZACION
Volatilization
Water Microbiology
Water Pollutants
Water Pollutants, Chemical
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Summary:The characteristics of the methylmercury-volatilizing bacteria in sediments of Minamata Bay, Japan, were studied, as was the volatilization of various mercury compounds by these bacteria. Of 1068 bacterial strains isolated from sediment samples, only 80 were found to volatilize methylmercury by measuring Hg loss in liquid media containing methylmercury. These strains were composed of 60 Bacillus species, 15 Pseudomonas sp., three Moraxella sp., and two unclassified gram-negative rods. All of the methylmercury-volatilizing bacteria were able to volatilize each of the Hg compounds tested. Results suggest that these bacteria play an important role in the Hg cycle of Minamata Bay.
ISSN:0007-4861
1432-0800
DOI:10.1007/BF02021014