Degradation of organic mercury in high salt environments by a marine aerobic bacterium Alteromonas macleodii KD01

Abstract

Mercury (Hg), particularly organic mercury, poses a global concern due to its pronounced toxicity and bioaccumulation. Bioremediation of organic mercury in high-salt wastewater faces challenges due to the growth limitations imposed by elevated Cl− and Na+ concentrations on microorganisms. In this study, an isolated marine bacterium Alteromonas macleodii KD01 was demonstrated to degrade methylmercury (MeHg) efficiently in seawater and then was applied to degrade organic mercury (MeHg, ethylmercury, and thimerosal) in simulated high-salt wastewater. Results showed that A. macleodii KD01 can rapidly degrade organic mercury (within 20 min) even at high concentrations (>10 ng/mL), volatilizing a portion of Hg from the wastewater. Further analysis revealed an increased transcription of organomercury lyase (merB) with rising organic mercury concentrations during the exposure process, suggesting the involvement of mer operon (merA and merB). These findings highlight A. macleodii KD01 as a promising candidate for addressing organic mercury pollution in high-salt wastewater.