Groundwater contaminated by hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) has posed severe threat to the environment and public health. Although heterotrophic bioremediation has been known as an efficient approach, little is explored on mineral nutrient source addition such as phosphorus minerals. In this study, the stabilization and sustainability of phosphorus minerals for providing phosphorus has been investigated, and the enhancement of Cr(VI) removal by mixed bacterial consortium coupled with phosphorus minerals was also observed and further verified, with 1.4-3.9 times K values (first-order) increase under different conditions. We demonstrated that the applied of phosphorus minerals facilitated the reduction of Cr(VI) and the removal of Cr(III), promoted the resistance of Cr(VI) and the generation of antioxidase, and engendered the evolution of microbial community structures and functional genes. These findings provide a new insight for enhancement of Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater in-situ remediation.
Keywords: Bioremediation enhancement; Cr(VI) reduction; Microbial community; Mixed bacterial consortium; Phosphorus minerals.
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