Bioremediation of uranium contaminated sites by Acidovorax facilis - a microscopic and spectroscopic study


Bioremediation of uranium contaminated sites by Acidovorax facilis - a microscopic and spectroscopic study

Krawczyk-Bärsch, E.; Gerber, U.; Steudtner, R.

For remediation of uranium contaminated environments from activities such as uranium mining and uranium processing, microorganisms could be important due to their ability to immobilize radionuclides and heavy metals. To improve bioremediation strategies based on a better understanding of binding mechanisms on the molecular level, we applied uranium interaction experiments with Acidovorax facilis, an aerobic, Gram-negative Betaproteobacteria, which is commonly found in soils. Experiments were performed in batch cultures under aerobic conditions at 25 °C using nutrient broth. The cells were grown to an optical density (OD600) of around 1.5. For sorption experiments UO2(NO3)2 was added to the culture to achieve an initial uranium concentration of 0.05 and 0.1 M, respectively, at a neutral pH range. Energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EF-TEM) coupled with electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) were applied. The results provide spectroscopically and microscopically evidence of uranium sorbed at the outer membrane of Acidovorax f. cells by showing high electron density and uranium ionization intensity peaks. In addition, uranium was detected in the small polyphosphate granules of the cells, indicating the formation of a uranyl-phosphate complex as a result of an intracellular bioaccumulation process. The results support the TRLFS measurements, concluding that uranium is bound on carboxylic functionality groups, e.g., peptidoglycan (R−COO−UO2) and either on phosphoryl groups, e.g., uranyl-lipopolysaccharide-complexes R-O-PO3-UO2 and [R-O-PO3]2-UO22- of the outer membrane [1].
[1] Barkleit, A. et al. (2008). Dalton Transaction 2879-2886.

Keywords: uranium; bioremediation; Acidovorax f; EF-TEM; TRLFS

  • Lecture (Conference)
    BioRemid2017, 09.-10.03.2017, Granada, Espana

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Publ.-Id: 24409