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Full Length Research Paper
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Bioremediation
of Uranium in contaminated water samples of Bathinda, Punjab
by Desulfovibrio genus
Leena Parihar1*, Jasmeen K.
Johal2 and Vikramjit Singh2
1Division of Research and
Development, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara,
Punjab, India.
2Department of
Biotechnology, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara,
Punjab, India.
*Corresponding author.
E-mail:
leena.parihar@gmail.com
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Accepted 24 December, 2012 |
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Abstract |
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Soluble uranium salts enter human body through ground water
and foodstuff.
World Health Organization (2004) has set 15 µg/L as the
"tolerated intake" of
soluble uranium in
drinking water.
Uranium intake above this concentration is toxic to human
body.
The organ which are most affected are kidney and lungs
leading to malfunctioning of kidneys and lung cancer.
Soluble uranium is also known for its neuro-developmental,
neuropsychological, cytotoxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic
effects. So to overcome such hazardous problem in Bhatinda
region (Cancer belt area- Jhajjal, Giana, Sivian, Malkana,
Laliana, where cancer cases are prominent) of Punjab an
effort has been done.
Incubation of water samples with media specific for growth
of Desulfovibrio genus was done for one month with
soil from the same area from where
water sample has been taken
and with Desulfovibrio vulgaris subsp. vulgaris
strain.
Chemical analysis of water samples was done again
to measure final uranium (VI) concentrations after
incubation.
In case of incubation with soil, the average reduction of
uranium (VI) in the presence of Linsmaier and Skoog's (LS)
media specific for the growth of Desulfovibrio genus
is 59.08%. This concluded that the presence of one or a
group of species of Desulfovibrio in soil is
responsible for reduction of uranium (VI). In case of
incubation with D. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris
strain,
the average reduction of
uranium (VI) is 97.77%. This concludes that D. vulgaris
subsp. vulgaris strain can reduce uranium at an
average rate of 0.003 μg/L/h. Biochemical tests were done to
find out specific species of Desulfovibrio present in
soil responsible for uranium reduction. The results of these
tests concluded that the organism present in soil
responsible for reduction of uranium is Desulfovibrio
desulfuricans.
Key words:
Uranium, Desulfovibrio, Bathinda, cancer. |
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