Mercury-resistant bacterial strains Pseudomonas and Psychrobacter spp. isolated from sediments of Orbetello Lagoon (Italy) and their possible use in bioremediation processes

This study was aimed to isolate Hg-resistant bacteria from contaminated sediments of the Orbetello Lagoon in Italy and to assess their possible use as biofilms in bioremediation processes. Enrichment cultures prepared from contaminated sediments in the presence of 0.05mM of mercury and under aerobic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International biodeterioration & biodegradation 2011-01, Vol.65 (1), p.85-91
Main Authors: Pepi, Milva, Gaggi, Carlo, Bernardini, Emanuele, Focardi, Silvia, Lobianco, Arianna, Ruta, Marcella, Nicolardi, Valentina, Volterrani, Margherita, Gasperini, Simone, Trinchera, Giuseppe, Renzi, Paola, Gabellini, Massimo, Focardi, Silvano E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aerobic conditions
Bacteria
Biofilm
Biofilms
Bioremediation
Contamination
genes
Hg-bioremediation
Hg-resistant bacteria
Hg2+ volatilization
Lagoons
leachates
mercuric chloride
Mercury
minimum inhibitory concentration
Pseudomonas
Psychrobacter
pumice
ribosomal DNA
sediment contamination
Sediments
Strain
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Summary:This study was aimed to isolate Hg-resistant bacteria from contaminated sediments of the Orbetello Lagoon in Italy and to assess their possible use as biofilms in bioremediation processes. Enrichment cultures prepared from contaminated sediments in the presence of 0.05mM of mercury and under aerobic conditions allowed the isolation of five heterotrophic bacterial strains. 16S rDNA gene sequencing assigned the isolated strains to the genera Pseudomonas and Psychrobacter. For the first time mercury-resistant bacterial strains belonging to the genus Psychrobacter were evidenced. Minimum inhibitory concentrations in the presence of HgCl2 and of CH3HgCl showed high levels of resistance. EC50 values for the isolated bacterial strains in the presence of HgCl2 and of CH3HgCl confirmed the adaptation to the metal. Hg-resistant strains ORHg1, ORHg4 and ORHg5 showed the capacity to volatilize inorganic and organic mercury to elemental mercury, and formed biofilms on pumice particles, and were shown to play a role in the removal of mercury from sediment leachates. This study reports isolation and characterization of new Hg-resistant bacterial strains and provides novel insight into their possible use in bioremediation processes of mercury polluted sediments.
ISSN:0964-8305
1879-0208
DOI:10.1016/j.ibiod.2010.09.006