Uptake of lead by bacteria isolated from industrial effluents and their potential use in bioremediation of wastewater

Muhammad Idrees; Shakir Ali; Abdul Rehman; Syed Zajif Hussain; Dilara Abbas Bukhari

doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2023.103740

Uptake of lead by bacteria isolated from industrial effluents and their potential use in bioremediation of wastewater

Saudi J Biol Sci. 2023 Aug;30(8):103740. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2023.103740. Epub 2023 Jul 13.

Authors

Muhammad Idrees¹, Shakir Ali¹, Abdul Rehman², Syed Zajif Hussain³, Dilara Abbas Bukhari¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Zoology, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan.
² Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
³ Department of Chemistry, SBA School of Science and Engineering (SBASSE), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), DHA, Lahore Cantt 54792, Pakistan.

Abstract

Due to rising populations and human activities, heavy metals (HM) toxicity has become a serious problem for all life forms. The present study deals with isolating and identifying lead-resistant bacteria from contaminated wastewater of tanneries effluents. Two isolated strains were identified as Bacillus cereus (ID1), and Bacillus sp. (ID3), and both strains resisted a 25 mM concentration of Lead nitrate (Pb (NO₃)₂). After four days of treatment, Bacillus cereus (ID1) showed 80% lead uptake, and Bacillus sp. (ID3) showed 88%. Lead uptake was confirmed by Energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX) analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that structural alterations had occurred in functional groups of the treated samples compared to the controls. Our research indicates that these Bacillus strains may be useful in bioremediating heavy metals from polluted environments. Further investigation into the processes involved in the uptake and homeostasis of heavy metals by these strains is required, as is the identification of the genes and enzymes responsible for Pb-bioremediation.

Keywords: Bacillus cereus ID1; Bacillus sp. ID3; Bioremediation; Heavy metals pollution; Pb-contamination.