Bioremediation of Uranium in contaminated water samples of Bathinda, Punjab by Desulfovibrio genus

Abstract

Soluble uranium salts enter human body through ground water and foodstuff. World Health Organization (2004) has set 15 µg/L as the "tolerated intake" of soluble uranium in drinking water. Uranium intake above this concentration is toxic to human body. The organ which are most affected are kidney and lungs leading to malfunctioning of kidneys and lung cancer. Soluble uranium is also known for its neuro-developmental, neuropsychological, cytotoxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic effects. So to overcome such hazardous problem in Bhatinda region (Cancer belt area-Jhajjal, Giana, Sivian, Malkana, Laliana, where cancer cases are prominent) of Punjab an effort has been done. Incubation of water samples with media specific for growth of Desulfovibrio genus was done for one month with soil from the same area from where water sample has been taken and with Desulfovibrio vulgaris subsp. vulgaris strain. Chemical analysis of water samples was done again to measure final uranium (VI) concentrations after incubation. In case of incubation with soil, the average reduction of uranium (VI) in the presence of Linsmaier and Skoog's (LS) media specific for the growth of Desulfovibrio genus is 59.08%. This concluded that the presence of one or a group of species of Desulfovibrio in soil is responsible for reduction of uranium (VI). In case of incubation with D. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris strain, the average reduction of uranium (VI) is 97.77%. This concludes that D. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris strain can reduce uranium at an average rate of 0.003 μg/L/h. Biochemical tests were done to find out specific species of Desulfovibrio present in soil responsible for uranium reduction. The results of these tests concluded that the organism present in soil responsible for reduction of uranium is Desulfovibrio desulfuricans.

Efficient Removal of UO22+ from Water Using Carboxycellulose Nanofibers Prepared by the Nitro-Oxidation Method

“…Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive heavy metal that can cause many adverse effects on animals and human health, , such as nephrotoxicity, genotoxicity and developmental defects. − In certain regions of New Mexico, Australia, Austria, Kazakhstan, Canada, India, and the Czech Republic, where uranium abundantly exists in the bedrocks and groundwater, local civilians can suffer high elevations of uranium in their blood through contaminated water sources. , In addition, the potential of radioactive discharge from nuclear plants during meltdowns can also pose long-term water hazards. − According to the US EPA (Environment Protection Agency) guideline, the maximum contamination limit of uranium is 30 μg/L, based on the long-term intake of the material in every day water intake of 2 L for 70 years. The major reasons for its presence in the environment, besides the leaching from bedrocks and emission from nuclear plants, also includes coal combustion and fertilizer use containing uranium traces, which can all cause groundwater contamination.…”

“…3−5 In certain regions of New Mexico, Australia, Austria, Kazakhstan, Canada, India, and the Czech Republic, where uranium abundantly exists in the bedrocks and groundwater, 6 local civilians can suffer high elevations of uranium in their blood through contaminated water sources. 7,8 In addition, the potential of radioactive discharge from nuclear plants during meltdowns can also pose long-term water hazards. 7−9 According to the US EPA (Environment Protection Agency) guideline, the maximum contamination limit of uranium is 30 μg/L, 10 based on the long-term intake of the material in every day water intake of 2 L for 70 years.…”

“…The effect of pH on the adsorption of uranyl ions by the NOCNF suspension (0.23 wt %) was also investigated. In this study, UO 2 2+ solutions at a fixed concentration (2222 ppm) and different pH values (3,5,7,9,10) were prepared and were subsequently added with the NOCNF suspension. As per above procedures, the nonflocculated portion was taken out and 2+ ions from the solution.…”

Impact of microbial processes on the safety of deep geological repositories for radioactive waste

“…The first ones can conserve energy for their anaerobic growth through the reduction of uranium, while the SRB are unable to conserve such energy for their growth. Desulfovibrio has been found in different uranium-contaminated sites such as sub-surface sediments ( Castañeda-Carrión et al, 2010 ; Newsome et al, 2014 ), and water ( Parihar et al, 2013 ; Jroundi et al, 2020 ). Povedano-Priego et al (2022) identified Desulfovibrio in the bacterial community of uranium-treated bentonite under anoxic conditions in presence of glycerol-2-phosphate (G2P).…”