Cadmium-resistant Bacteria Research Articles

Physiological responses and antioxidant enzyme changes in Sulla coronaria inoculated by cadmium resistant bacteria.

Plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) may help to reduce the toxicity of heavy metals on plants growing in polluted soils. In this work, Sulla coronaria inoculated with four Cd resistant bacteria (two Pseudomonas spp. and two Rhizobium sullae) were cultivated in hydroponic conditions treated by Cd; long time treatment 50µM CdCl2 for 30days and short time treatment; 100µM CdCl2 for 7days. Results showed that inoculation with Cd resistant PGPB enhanced plant biomass, thus shoot and root dry weights of control plants were enhanced by 148 and 35% respectively after 7days. Co-inoculation of plants treated with 50 and 100µM Cd increased plant biomasses as compared to Cd-treated and uninoculated plants. Cadmium treatment induced lipid peroxidation in plant tissues measured through MDA content in short 7days 100µM treatment. Antioxidant enzyme studies showed that inoculation of control plants enhanced APX, SOD and CAT activities after 30days in shoots and SOD, APX, SOD, GPOX in roots. Application of 50µM CdCl2 stimulated all enzymes in shoots and decreased SOD and CAT activities in roots. Moreover, 100µM of CdCl2 increased SOD, APX, CAT and GPOX activities in shoots and increased significantly CAT activity in roots. Metal accumulation depended on Cd concentration, plant organ and time of treatment. Furthermore, the inoculation enhanced Cd uptake in roots by 20% in all treatments. The cultivation of this symbiosis in Cd contaminated soil or in heavy metal hydroponically treated medium, showed that inoculation improved plant biomass and increased Cd uptake especially in roots. Therefore, the present study established that co-inoculation of S. coronaria by a specific consortium of heavy metal resistant PGPB formed a symbiotic system useful for soil phytostabilization.

Bioleaching of Cadmium from Contaminated Paddy Fields by Consortium of Autotrophic and Indigenous Cadmium-Tolerant Bacteria

It has been a major issue for urgent solution in China as a result of a series of poisoning cases caused by cadmium. Yet there is no effective methods for removal of cadmium from the paddy soils. Microbial leaching process as an effective approach is currently applied to remediate the contaminated soils. In this study, bioleaching of cadmium from contaminated paddy soils by consortium of autotrophic and indigenous cadmium-tolerant bacteria was applied. The bioleaching results showed that the leaching rate of cadmium was from 74.93% to 92.76%. The distribution of the Cd fractions had a significant change before and after bioleaching with the organic fraction and residues fraction mainly remained. Moreover, the microbial community analysis showed that the Acidithiobacillus and Acidiphilium became the dominant genus in the bioleaching process. The combination of bioleaching with acidophilic chemolithotrophic microorganisms and the cadmium-resistant bacteria provides a potential process for bioremediation of metal-contaminated soils.

A review on mechanism and future perspectives of cadmium-resistant bacteria

Since the last few decades, cadmium anthropocentric sources have been increased drastically. Various chemical and physical approaches for cadmium remediation have been proposed, but these techniques are quite expensive, not healthy for the environment and not efficient at the low concentration of cadmium. Thus, in the last few years, the cadmium removal by biological approaches has received a great interest. Many bacteria can resist against high concentration of cadmium through different mechanisms. The cadmium-resistant bacteria can be grouped into three levels. The main group consists of bacteria which efflux the cadmium from the cells. The bacteria of the other two groups are capable of detoxifying or binding cadmium. The cadA and cadB gene systems are involved in efflux mechanism, and these encode different efflux pump proteins, while the functional groups such as amine, carboxyl, phosphate and hydroxyl facilitate cadmium binding to bacterial surface such as chemisorption. Many enzymes are involved in the detoxifying the cadmium and make the membrane impermeable against cadmium. This paper also reviews the industrial application of cadmium-resistant bacteria and the future perspectives of genetic engineering, bioelectrochemical system, microbial aggregates and biosorption of cadmium by algae.

Enhanced cadmium phytoremediation of Glycine max L. through bioaugmentation of cadmium-resistant bacteria assisted by biostimulation

This study examined the potential of three strains of cadmium-resistant bacteria, including Micrococcus sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Arthrobacter sp., to promote root elongation of Glycine max L. seedlings, soil cadmium solubility and cadmium phytoremediation in G. max L. planted in soil highly polluted with cadmium with and without nutrient biostimulation. Micrococcus sp. promoted root length in G. max L. seedlings under toxic cadmium conditions. Soil inoculation with Arthrobacter sp. increased the bioavailable fraction of soil cadmium, particularly in soil amended with a C:N ratio of 20:1. Pot culture experiments observed that the highest plant growth was in Micrococcus sp.-inoculated plants with nutrient biostimulation. Cadmium accumulation in the roots, stems and leaves of G. max L. was significantly enhanced by Arthrobacter sp. with nutrient biostimulation. A combined use of G. max L. and Arthrobacter sp. with nutrient biostimulation accelerated cadmium phytoremediation. In addition, cadmium was retained in roots more than in stems and leaves and G. max L. had the lowest translocation factor at all growth stages, suggesting that G. max L. is a phytostabilizing plant. We concluded that biostimulation-assisted bioaugmentation is an important strategy for improving cadmium phytoremediation efficiency.

Phytoremediation of cadmium-polluted soil by Chlorophytum laxum combined with chitosan-immobilized cadmium-resistant bacteria.

This study examined the performance of the chitosan-immobilized cadmium-resistant bacteria Arthrobacter sp. and Micrococcus sp. on cadmium phytoremediation by Chlorophytum laxum in cadmium-polluted soil. These immobilized cadmium-resistant bacteria can survive in cadmium-contaminated soil and significantly increased soil cadmium solubility, but the ability of chitosan-immobilized cells to increase cadmium solubility was lower than that of free cells. A pot experiment demonstrated that chitosan-immobilized Micrococcus sp. promoted the growth of C. laxum planted in cadmium-contaminated soil. A significant increase in the cadmium concentration in the roots and aboveground parts of C. laxum was found in plants inoculated with free and chitosan-immobilized cells of these bacteria. The performance of Arthrobacter sp. free cells to augment cadmium accumulation in C. laxum was a little bit better than that of chitosan-immobilized Arthrobacter sp., except at 9weeks after planting. The phytoextraction coefficient, bioaccumulation factor, and translocation factor of C. laxum inoculated with free and chitosan-immobilized cells of cadmium-resistant bacteria were higher than those of the uninoculated control and increased with time. Our findings suggest that chitosan-immobilized cells can be exploited to enhance the efficiency of cadmium phytoremediation by C. laxum.

ISOLATION AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF THREE BACILLUS STRAINS FOR THEIR TOLERANCE AGAINST VARIOUS HEAVY METALS

Heavy metal contamination due to natural and anthropogenic sources is a global environmental threat which can produce harmful effects on human health when they are taken up in amounts that cannot be processed by the organism. Technologies involving microbial cells for metal removal and recovery may provide an alternative to conventional methods. In the present study, three cadmium resistant bacteria were isolated from soil collected from industrial area of Faridabad, Haryana, India. Screening of the bacterial isolates for metal resistance against Cd2+, Ni2+, Hg2+, Cu+2 and Pb2+ was done by determining the minimal inhibitory concentration ranging from 10ppm to 250ppm. Moreover these isolates showed a significant ability to remove 70 to 78% of cadmium. These isolates were identified as Bacillus sp.263ZY1 (MA5), Bacterium YC-LK-LKJ45 (MB5) and Bacillus subtilis strain DHXJ07(MC5) on the basis of 16S r-RNA gene sequencing. The ability of these microbes to tolerate high concentration of a range of heavy metals provides a scope of use of these bacterial strains for bioremediation of heavy metal from industrial effluent.

Isolation and characterization of copper and cadmium resistant bacteria from industrial wastewaters and evaluating the biosorption of selected bacteria

Isolation and characterization of copper and cadmium resistant bacteria from industrial wastewaters and evaluating the biosorption of selected bacteria

Cadmium resistance and uptake by bacterium, Salmonella enterica 43C, isolated from industrial effluent.

Cadmium resistant bacterium, isolated from industrial wastewater, was characterized as Salmonella enterica 43C on the basis of biochemical and 16S rRNA ribotyping. It is first ever reported S. enterica 43C bared extreme resistance against heavy metal consortia in order of Pb2+>Cd2+>As3+>Zn2+>Cr6+>Cu2+>Hg2+. Cd2+ stress altered growth pattern of the bacterium in time dependent manner. It could remove nearly 57 % Cd2+ from the medium over a period of 8 days. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies based on various adsorption isotherm models (Langmuir and Freundlich) depicted the Cd2+ biosorption as spontaneous, feasible and endothermic in nature. Interestingly, the bacterium followed pseudo first order kinetics, making it a good biosorbent for heavy metal ions. The S. enterica 43C Cd2+ processivity was significantly influenced by temperature, pH, initial Cd2+ concentration, biomass dosage and co-metal ions. FTIR analysis of the bacterium revealed the active participation of amide and carbonyl moieties in Cd2+ adsorption confirmed by EDX analysis. Electron micrographs beckoned further surface adsorption and increased bacterial size due to intracellular Cd2+ accumulation. An overwhelming increase in glutathione and other non-protein thiols levels played a significant role in thriving oxidative stress generated by metal cations. Presence of metallothionein clearly depicted the role of such proteins in bacterial metal resistance mechanism. The present study results clearly declare S. enterica 43C a suitable candidate for green chemistry to bioremediate environmental Cd2+.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13568-016-0225-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Characterization of cadmium-resistant bacteria and their potential for reducing accumulation of cadmium in rice grains

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a serious widespread environmental problem that not only destroys the microbial ecology of soil and decreases crop production, but also poses a serious risk to human health. Many methods have been used for the remediation of Cd pollution but none of these is totally satisfactory. Microbial remediation strategies have attracted increasing interest since they are environmentally friendly and cost-effective. In the present study, three Cd-resistant bacteria were isolated and evaluated for potential application in Cd bioremediation. Based on their morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics, together with 16S rDNA gene sequence analyses, bacteria were identified as Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila (2#), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9#) and Delftia tsuruhatensis (12#). Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed very high tolerance to metals, especially Cd (2200mg/L), Zn (1800mg/L) and Pb (1200mg/L), and is thought to be a multi-metal-resistant bacterium. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was also sensitive to 13 different antibiotics. The effects of the bacterial strains on the growth of rice plants and their ability to reduce Cd accumulation from Cd-contaminated soils in pot experiments were also evaluated. For Oryza sativa L. A grown in contaminated soil (3mg/kg Cd), the accumulation of Cd was decreased by 31.2 and 25.5% in brown rice and polished rice, respectively, by strain 9#; Pseudomonas aeruginosa was more effective in reducing Cd accumulation in rice grains than a mixture of strains. For Oryza sativa L. B, a mixture of strains acting synergistically was more effective than a single strain in reducing Cd accumulation; treatment with mixed strains (strains+3mg/kg Cd) resulted in 41.3, 35.9, and 32.6% reductions in Cd accumulation in unhulled rice, brown rice and polished rice, respectively. Although different results were obtained for two rice varieties, it can still be concluded that Cd-resistant bacteria are suitable for reducing Cd accumulation in rice grains and show potential for bioremediation of Cd-contaminated soils.

Characterization and Sorptivity of the Plesiomonas shigelloides Strain and Its Potential Use to Remove Cd2+ from Wastewater

In this study, the ability of adsorbing Cd2+ ions of Plesiomonas shigelloides was discovered. Herein, the method and mechanisms of adsorbing Cd2+ ions from aqueous solutions is discussed. The cadmium-resistant bacterium was collected from the sediment of Harbin section of the Songhua River in China, and then isolated, identified and characterized. The isolated strain was identified as Plesiomonas shigelloides H5 on the basis of morphological and biochemical characteristics, the sequencing of the 16SrDNA gene, and phylogeny analysis. P. shigelloides H5 was Gram-negative and bacillus. Maximum tolerance concentration (MTC) of the strain was 150 mg/L. The maximum adsorption rate and adsorption amounts was 42.71% ± 0.88% and 106.775 ± 2.325 mg/g when dried biomass was presented in a 50 mg/L Cd2+ solution. Dried biomass was in accordance with Lagergren pseudo-second-order models. A field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses were applied to identify the surface morphology and functional groups. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) results showed that Cd2+ was also absorbed into cells to form precipitates. The results revealed that the surface functional groups of P. shigelloides H5 can bind to heavy metal ions. To sum up, the ability of adsorbing cadmium ions of Plesiomonas shigelloides was discovered, which might be helpful in wastewater treatment in the future.

Characterization of cadmium-resistant bacteria for its potential in promoting plant growth and cadmium accumulation in Sesbania bispinosa root

ABSTRACTThe cadmium (Cd) resistant bacteria were isolated from soils of Damanganga river, Vapi, and identified 11 potential Cd resistant bacteria based on 16S rDNA sequences. The Cd resistant bacteria belonged to four different genera: Providencia spp., Morganella sp., Stenotrophomonas sp., and Bacillus spp. The assessment of plant growth-promoting (PGP) parameters revealed that the Cd tolerant bacteria showed one or more PGP properties. Further, a pot experiment was conducted to elucidate the effects of Cd resistant bacteria on the plant growth and the uptake of Cd by Sesbania bispinosa. The bacterized seedlings recorded 36.0–74.8% and 21.2–32.9% higher root and shoot lengths, respectively, in Cd amended soil compared with control. The Cd mobilization in the root of S. bispinosa by microbial inoculants ranged from 0.02 ± 0.01 to 1.11 ± 0.06 ppm. The enhanced concentrations of Cd accumulation in S. bispinosa roots correspond to the effect of the bacterial strains on metal mobilization in soil. The present observations showed that the Cd resistant strains protect the plants against the inhibitory effects of Cd, probably due to the production of PGP properties. The present results provided a new insight into the phytoremediation of Cd contaminated soil.

Biological synthesis of fluorescent nanoparticles by cadmium and tellurite resistant Antarctic bacteria: exploring novel natural nanofactories.

BackgroundFluorescent nanoparticles or quantum dots (QDs) have been intensely studied for basic and applied research due to their unique size-dependent properties. There is an increasing interest in developing ecofriendly methods to synthesize these nanoparticles since they improve biocompatibility and avoid the generation of toxic byproducts. The use of biological systems, particularly prokaryotes, has emerged as a promising alternative. Recent studies indicate that QDs biosynthesis is related to factors such as cellular redox status and antioxidant defenses. Based on this, the mixture of extreme conditions of Antarctica would allow the development of natural QDs producing bacteria.ResultsIn this study we isolated and characterized cadmium and tellurite resistant Antarctic bacteria capable of synthesizing CdS and CdTe QDs when exposed to these oxidizing heavy metals. A time dependent change in fluorescence emission color, moving from green to red, was determined on bacterial cells exposed to metals. Biosynthesis was observed in cells grown at different temperatures and high metal concentrations. Electron microscopy analysis of treated cells revealed nanometric electron-dense elements and structures resembling membrane vesicles mostly associated to periplasmic space. Purified biosynthesized QDs displayed broad absorption and emission spectra characteristic of biogenic Cd nanoparticles.ConclusionsOur work presents a novel and simple biological approach to produce QDs at room temperature by using heavy metal resistant Antarctic bacteria, highlighting the unique properties of these microorganisms as potent natural producers of nano-scale materials and promising candidates for bioremediation purposes.

Use of cadA-Specific Primers and DNA Probes as Tools to Select Cadmium Biosorbents with Potential in Remediation Strategies.

Biosorption, using cadmium-resistant bacterial isolates, is often regarded as a relatively inexpensive and efficient way of cleaning up wastes, sediments, or soils polluted with cadmium. Therefore, many efforts have been devoted to the isolation of cadmium-resistant isolates for the efficient management of cadmium remediation processes. However, isolation, identification and in situ screening of efficient cadmium-resistant isolates are primary challenges. To overcome these challanges, in this study, cadA, cadmium resistance coding gene, specific primers and DNA probes were used to identify and screen cadmium-resistant bacteria in the cadmium-polluted river waters through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescein in situ hybridization (FISH). PCR amplification of the cadA amplicon coupled with 16S rRNA sequencing revealed various gram-positive and -negative bacterial isolates harboring cadA. Accordingly, a cadA-mediated DNA probe was prepared and used for in situ screening of cadmium-resistant isolates from water samples collected from cadmium-polluted river waters. The FISH analyses of cadA probe showed highly specific and efficient hybridization with cadA harboring isolates. The use of primers and DNA probes specific for cadA gene seems to be very helpful tools for the selection and screening of cadmium biosorbents with potential to be used in the remediation of cadmium-polluted sites.

Quick discrimination of heavy metal resistant bacterial populations using infrared spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics.

Lead and cadmium are frequently encountered heavy metals in industrially polluted areas. Many heavy metal resistant bacterial strains have a high biosorption capacity and thus are good candidates for the removal of toxic metals from the environment. However, as of yet there is no accurate method for discrimination of highly adaptive bacterial strains among the populations present in a given habitat. In this study, we aimed to find distinguishing molecular features of lead and cadmium resistant bacteria using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transformed Infrared (ATR-FT-IR) spectroscopy and chemometric approaches. Our results demonstrated that both control and metal exposed E. coli and S. aureus strains could be successfully discriminated from each other using hierarchical cluster and principal component analysis methods. Moreover, we found that lead exposed bacterial strains could be successfully discriminated from cadmium exposed ones with a high heterogeneity value. These clear discriminations can be described by the ability of a bacterium to change its metabolism in terms of the content and structure of cellular macromolecules under heavy metal stress. In our case, cadmium and lead-induced genetic response systems in bacteria caused remarkable alterations in overall cellular metabolism. Bacteria deal with a heavy metal stress by altering nucleic acid methylations and lipid and protein synthesis. Heavy metal burden led to the development of relevant metabolic changes in proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids of the resistant bacteria described in this study. Our approach showed that infrared spectra obtained via ATR-FT-IR spectroscopy coupled with chemometric analysis can be utilized for rapid, low-cost, informative, reliable, and operator-independent discrimination of resistant bacterial populations.

Cadmium resistance mechanism in Escherichia coli P4 and its potential use to bioremediate environmental cadmium.

A cadmium-resistant bacterium was isolated from industrial wastewater and identified as Escherichia coli (dubbed as P4) on the basis of morphological, biochemical tests and 16S rRNA ribotyping. It showed optimum growth at 30°C and pH 7. E. coli P4 found to resist Cd(+2) (10.6mM) as well as Zn(+2) (4.4mM), Pb(+2) (17mM), Cu(+2) (3.5mM), Cr(+6) (4.4mM), As(+2) (10.6mM), and Hg(+2) (0.53mM). It could remove 18.8, 37, and 56% Cd(+2) from aqueous medium after 48, 96, and 144h, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis also confirmed the biosorption of Cd(+2) by E. coli P4. However, temperature and pH were found to be the most critical factors in biosorption of Cd(+2) by E. coli P4. Cd(+2) stress altered E. coli P4 cell physiology analyzed by measuring glutathione (GSH) and non-protein thiol (cysteine) levels which were increased up to 130 and 48%, respectively. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) showed alteration in the expression levels of ftsZ, mutS, clpB, ef-tu, and dnaK genes in the presence of Cd(+2). Total protein profiles of E. coli P4 in the absence and presence of Cd(+2) were compared by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), which showed remarkable difference in the banding pattern. czcB gene, a component of czcCBA operon, was amplified from genomic DNA which suggested the chromosomal-borne Cd(+2) resistance in E. coli P4. Furthermore, it harbors smtAB gene which plays a significant role in Cd(+2) resistance.

Bacterial-assisted cadmium phytoremediation by Ocimum gratissimum L. in polluted agricultural soil: a field trial experiment

A field study of cadmium phytoremediation by Ocimum gratissimum L. and the potential enhancement by two cadmium-resistant bacteria, Ralstonia sp. TISTR 2219 and Arthrobacter sp. TISTR 2220, were explored in a cadmium-polluted agricultural area. The results demonstrated the ability of one of the bacterial strains to promote cadmium accumulation in O. gratissimum L. planted in soil with cadmium concentrations till 65.2 mg kg−1. After transplantation in contaminated soil for 2 months, soil inoculation with Arthrobacter sp. enhanced cadmium accumulation in the roots, above-ground tissues, and whole plant of O. gratissimum L. by 1.2-fold, 1.4-fold, and 1.1-fold, respectively, compared with the untreated control. The presence of Arthrobacter sp. in soil facilitated cadmium phytoremediation in O. gratissimum L. similar to that of an EDTA application. Seeds of O. gratissimum L. grown in polluted soil contained undetectable to negligible concentrations of cadmium. Significant increases in the bioconcentration and translocation factors of O. gratissimum L. were observed in Arthrobacter sp.-inoculated plants at only 2 months post-transplant compared with the uninoculated control. The highest percentage of cadmium removal was found in soil used to cultivate EDTA-treated O. gratissimum L., followed by an Arthrobacter sp.-inoculated plant. Our findings suggest that the synergistic use of Arthrobacter sp. with O. gratissimum L., an essential oil-producing crop, could be a feasible economic and environmental option for the reclamation of cadmium-polluted areas.

Isolation, Identification, and Characterization of Cadmium Resistant Pseudomonas sp. M3 from Industrial Wastewater

The present study deals with the isolation, identification, and characterization of the cadmium resistant bacteria from wastewater collected from industrial area of Penang, Malaysia. The isolate was selected based on high level of the cadmium and antibiotic resistances. On the basis of morphological, biochemical characteristics, 16S rDNA gene sequencing and phylogeny analysis revealed that the strain RZCd1 was authentically identified as Pseudomonas sp. M3. The industrial isolate showed more than 70% of the cadmium removal in log phase. The cadmium removal capacity of strain RZCd1 was affected by temperature and pH. At pH 7.0 and 35°C, strain RZCd1 showed maximum cadmium removal capacity. The minimal inhibitory concentration of strain RZCd1 against the cadmium was 550 µg/mL. The resistance against the cadmium was associated with resistance to multiple antibiotics: amoxicillin, penicillin, cephalexin, erythromycin, and streptomycin. The strain RZCd1 also gave thick bands of proteins in front of 25 kDa in cadmium stress condition after 3 h of incubation. So the identified cadmium resistant bacteria may be useful for the bioremediation of cadmium contaminated industrial wastewater.

Isolation and characterisation of cadmium-resistant bacteria from an industrially polluted coastal ecosystem on the southeast coast of India

A total of 35 bacterial strains were isolated from the industrially polluted Cuddalore coast, on the southeast coast of India. Of these, 17 strains were cadmium resistant and the remainder were sensitive. Six strains (C-1, C-8, C-10, C-12, C-14 and N-1) were selected based on high levels of cadmium tolerance (>150 mg L−1) and were termed highly cadmium-resistant bacteria (HCRB). These HCRB were identified on the basis of morphological, biochemical and partial sequencing of their 16S rRNA genes. The antibiotic-susceptibility patterns and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of different metals (Cu2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+) against each HCRB were determined. Among the isolates, C-14 showed high degrees of metal and antibiotic resistance compared with other HCRB. Growth rates of HCRB at two different Cd2+ concentrations (50 and 100 mg L−1) and under different metal conditions (Cd2+, Cu2+ and Pb2+) were also investigated. HCRB growth rates were lower in the metal-treated condition than in the untreated condition. Isolates C-14 and N-1 removed>80% of Cd2+ from cadmium-treated broth. However, isolate C-14 removed 92.3% of Cd2+ compared with 86.5% for isolate N-1. Bacteria showing residual growth rates under metal stress conditions might be useful in metal removal applications under growing conditions.

Study on Cadmium Resistant-Bacteria Isolated from Hospital Wastewaters

In hospital, a variety of substances are in use for medical purposes as diagnostics and researches. Among them, heavy metals which are not biodegradable by chemical reactions have bioaccumulation properties. Cadmium is a toxic pollutant that enters hospital wastewaters by different ways. However, isolated bacteria from hospital effluents have high resistance to antimicrobial agents and therefore the ability to uptake cadmium and other metals. So, their use is recommended for wastewater bioremediation. In this study, twelve cadmium-resistant bacteria were isolated from hospital wastewaters and identified. The cadmium-resistant isolates characterized include both Gram-negative [75%] and Gram-positive [25%]. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of hospital wastewaters isolates was determined in solid media and was ranged from 250 to 950 micrograms/milliliters. All the isolates showed co-resistance to zinc and mercury. They were also antibiotic resistant and tolerated up a significant concentration of NaCl. The cadmium-resistant species Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most resistant to cadmium. The species Klebsiella pneumonia also resists to the highest concentrations of zinc and mercury. The results of toxicity tests on Vibrio fischeri, showed that the DI50 [15 min] as low as 0.07 carried away 50% luminescence inhibition.

Isolation of a selenite-reducing and cadmium-resistant bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain RB for microbial synthesis of CdSe nanoparticles

Bacteria capable of synthesizing CdSe from selenite and cadmium ion were enriched from a soil sample. After repeated transfer of the soil-derived bacterial cultures to a new medium containing selenite and cadmium ion 42 times (during 360 days), an enrichment culture that can simultaneously remove selenite and cadmium ion (1 mM each) from the liquid phase was obtained. The culture's color became reddish-brown, indicating CdSe nanoparticle production, as confirmed by energy-dispersive x-ray spectra (EDS). As a result of isolation operations, the bacterium that was the most responsible for synthesizing CdSe, named Pseudomonas sp. RB, was obtained. Transmission electron microscopy and EDS revealed that this strain accumulated nanoparticles (10-20 nm) consisting of selenium and cadmium inside and on the cells when cultivated in the same medium for the enrichment culture. This report is the first describing isolation of a selenite-reducing and cadmium-resistant bacterium. It is useful for CdSe nanoparticle synthesis in the simple one-vessel operation.