Nitrate and nitrite removal from salted water by Haloferax mediterranei

Abstract

Haloferax mediterranei is a denitrifying halophilic archaeon, able to assimilate nitrate or nitrite in the presence of oxygen by the assimilatory nitrate pathway. It can also grow in the presence of high nitrate or nitrite concentrations under anoxic conditions, using both nitrogen species as electron acceptors. In this study, the ability of H. mediterranei to remove high nitrate and nitrite concentrations from culture media has been demonstrated. This suggests that this haloarchaeon could be applied in water bioremediation processes to repair damage caused by anthropogenic activities. This could be beneficial in regions such as Comunidad Valenciana or Murcia (Spain), where the water tables contain high nitrate and nitrite concentrations due to fertiliser addition, and high salt concentrations due to marine intrusions.