Removal of heavy metals by exopolymeric substances produced by resistant purple nonsulfur bacteria isolated from contaminated shrimp ponds

Two purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB) strains, Rhodobium marinum NW16 and Rhodobacter sphaeroides KMS24 were investigated for their potential to remove heavy metals (HMs) from contaminated shrimp pond water. Tolerance of both PNSB strains growing with both microaerobic-light and aerobic-dark conditions, based on their minimum inhibitory concentrations, was in the order of Cu2+ > Zn2+ > Cd2+ (Pb precipitation occurred at 0.34 mM). Results from a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX) indicated that Cu2+ and Zn2+ altered the cellular morphology of both strains and accumulated HMs were found in their cells. The highest amounts of both cations were found in their cell walls followed by the cytoplasm and cell membrane. Using the highest concentrations (mM) of HMs found in shrimp pond of 0.0067 Cd2+, 0.54 Cu2+, 0.30 Pb2+, 0.89 Zn2+ and 3 percent NaCl under both incubating conditions exopolymeric substances (EPS) produced by both strains showed a greater removal of all HMs (average percentages; 90.52-97.29) than their cells (average percentages; 14.02-75.03).

Isolation of purple nonsulfur bacteria for the removal of heavy metals and sodium from contaminated shrimp ponds

In order to determine whether waters used for the shrimp cultivation contained toxic levels of heavy metals (HMs) and sodium (Na), analysis was carried out on 31 shrimp ponds in areas of southern Thailand. Purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNB) were also isolated from the same ponds to investigate if they could be used for bioremediation of the above contaminants. The highest HMs concentrations of the sediment samples in mg/kg dry weight were found as follows: 0.75 cadmium (Cd), 62.63 lead (Pb), 34.60 copper (Cu) and 58.50 zinc (Zn). However, all sediment samples met Hong Kong standards for dredged sediment. In contrast, contamination of Cu (9-30 ug/L) and Zn (140-530 ug/L) exceeding the standard guidelines for marine aquatic animal set by the Pollution Control Department, Thailand, were found in 32 and 61 percent of water samples, respectively. Two metal resistant PNB isolates, NW16 and KMS24, were selected from the 120 PNB isolates obtained. Both isolates reduced the levels of HMs by up to 39 percent for Pb, 20 percent for Cu, 7 percent for Cd, 5 percent for Zn and 31 percent for Na from water that contained the highest levels of HMs found and 3 percent NaCl when cultured with either microaerobic-light or aerobic-dark conditions. The isolate NW16 removed a greater percentage of the HMs than the isolate KMS24, but the isolate KMS24 was able to survive better under a greater variety of environmental conditions. Both strains were therefore suitable to use for further investigating their abilities to remediate water contaminated with HMs and Na.