Development of technologies using the activity of sulphate- and metal l-reducing bacteria (smrb) to remove heavy metals and metalloids from ground waters and soils

Abstract

Heavy Metals and Metalloids (HMM) greatly affect the quality of water and chainfood. In contrast to most organic pollutants, HMM are never degraded. The main ambition of the project is to develop new bioprocesses based on the sulfate - and metal - reducing ability of bacteria to prevent HMM pollution in water bodies, and to assess and minimise HMM pollution originating from contaminated sites. More precisely, the objectives are to obtain an improved fundamental understanding of the efficiency of biological processes for HMM remedy, and to develop new, cost-effective and reliable technological alternatives for removing HMM from ground waters and soils. The treatements will be done aither on site through pump-and-treat or bioleaching, or in-situ through biobarriers. The expected results are strains and enzymes that could have industrial market, tools for monitoring bioavailable metal content, and technologically assesse processes for HMM remedy.