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Tan JP, Clyde CW, Ng CC, Yeap SK, Yong CY. Advancements in microbial-mediated radioactive waste bioremediation: A review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2024; 280:107530. [PMID: 39378736 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2024.107530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2024] [Revised: 09/03/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/10/2024]
Abstract
The global production of radioactive wastes is expected to increase in the coming years as more countries have resorted to adopting nuclear power to decrease their reliance on fossil-fuel-generated energy. Discoveries of remediation methods that can remove radionuclides from radioactive wastes, including those discharged to the environment, are therefore vital to reduce risks-upon-exposure radionuclides posed to humans and wildlife. Among various remediation approaches available, microbe-mediated radionuclide remediation have limited reviews regarding their advances. This review provides an overview of the sources and existing classification of radioactive wastes, followed by a brief introduction to existing radionuclide remediation (physical, chemical, and electrochemical) approaches. Microbe-mediated radionuclide remediation (bacterial, myco-, and phycoremediation) is then extensively discussed. Bacterial remediation involves biological processes like bioreduction, biosorption, and bioprecipitation. Bioreduction involves the reduction of water-soluble, mobile radionuclides to water-insoluble, immobile lower oxidation states by ferric iron-reducing, sulfate-reducing, and certain extremophilic bacteria, and in situ remediation has become possible by adding electron donors to contaminated waters to enrich indigenous iron- and sulfate-reducing bacteria populations. In biosorption, radionuclides are associated with functional groups on the microbial cell surface, followed by getting reduced to immobilized forms or precipitated intracellularly or extracellularly. Myco- and phycoremediation often involve processes like biosorption and bioaccumulation, where the former is influenced by pH and cell concentration. A Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis on microbial remediation is also performed. It is suggested that two research directions: genetic engineering of radiation-resistant microorganisms and co-application of microbe-mediated remediation with other remediation methods could potentially result in the discovery of in situ or ex situ microbe-involving radioactive waste remediation applications with high practicability. Finally, a comparison between the strengths and weaknesses of each approach is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Ping Tan
- China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences (CAMS), Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, 43900, Sepang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Christal Winona Clyde
- China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences (CAMS), Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, 43900, Sepang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Chuck Chuan Ng
- China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences (CAMS), Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, 43900, Sepang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
| | - Swee Keong Yeap
- China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences (CAMS), Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, 43900, Sepang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Chean Yeah Yong
- China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences (CAMS), Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, 43900, Sepang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
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Jeong SW, Choi YJ. Extremophilic Microorganisms for the Treatment of Toxic Pollutants in the Environment. Molecules 2020; 25:E4916. [PMID: 33114255 PMCID: PMC7660605 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25214916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As concerns about the substantial effect of various hazardous toxic pollutants on the environment and public health are increasing, the development of effective and sustainable treatment methods is urgently needed. In particular, the remediation of toxic components such as radioactive waste, toxic heavy metals, and other harmful substances under extreme conditions is quite difficult due to their restricted accessibility. Thus, novel treatment methods for the removal of toxic pollutants using extremophilic microorganisms that can thrive under extreme conditions have been investigated during the past several decades. In this review, recent trends in bioremediation using extremophilic microorganisms and related approaches to develop them are reviewed, with relevant examples and perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yong Jun Choi
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea;
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Kasra-Kermanshahi R, Bahrami-Bavani M, Tajer-Mohammad-Ghazvini P. Microbial clean-up of uranium in the presence of molybdenum using pretreated Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-019-06819-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Shuryak I, Dadachova E. Quantitative Modeling of Microbial Population Responses to Chronic Irradiation Combined with Other Stressors. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147696. [PMID: 26808049 PMCID: PMC4726741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial population responses to combined effects of chronic irradiation and other stressors (chemical contaminants, other sub-optimal conditions) are important for ecosystem functioning and bioremediation in radionuclide-contaminated areas. Quantitative mathematical modeling can improve our understanding of these phenomena. To identify general patterns of microbial responses to multiple stressors in radioactive environments, we analyzed three data sets on: (1) bacteria isolated from soil contaminated by nuclear waste at the Hanford site (USA); (2) fungi isolated from the Chernobyl nuclear-power plant (Ukraine) buildings after the accident; (3) yeast subjected to continuous γ-irradiation in the laboratory, where radiation dose rate and cell removal rate were independently varied. We applied generalized linear mixed-effects models to describe the first two data sets, whereas the third data set was amenable to mechanistic modeling using differential equations. Machine learning and information-theoretic approaches were used to select the best-supported formalism(s) among biologically-plausible alternatives. Our analysis suggests the following: (1) Both radionuclides and co-occurring chemical contaminants (e.g. NO2) are important for explaining microbial responses to radioactive contamination. (2) Radionuclides may produce non-monotonic dose responses: stimulation of microbial growth at low concentrations vs. inhibition at higher ones. (3) The extinction-defining critical radiation dose rate is dramatically lowered by additional stressors. (4) Reproduction suppression by radiation can be more important for determining the critical dose rate, than radiation-induced cell mortality. In conclusion, the modeling approaches used here on three diverse data sets provide insight into explaining and predicting multi-stressor effects on microbial communities: (1) the most severe effects (e.g. extinction) on microbial populations may occur when unfavorable environmental conditions (e.g. fluctuations of temperature and/or nutrient levels) coincide with radioactive contamination; (2) an organism’s radioresistance and bioremediation efficiency in rich laboratory media may be insufficient to carry out radionuclide bioremediation in the field—robustness against multiple stressors is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Shuryak
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Ekaterina Dadachova
- Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
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Mitra A, Mukhopadhyay S. Biofilm mediated decontamination of pollutants from the environment. AIMS BIOENGINEERING 2016. [DOI: 10.3934/bioeng.2016.1.44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Gogada R, Singh SS, Lunavat SK, Pamarthi MM, Rodrigue A, Vadivelu B, Phanithi PB, Gopala V, Apte SK. Engineered Deinococcus radiodurans R1 with NiCoT genes for bioremoval of trace cobalt from spent decontamination solutions of nuclear power reactors. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 99:9203-13. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6761-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Revised: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Prakash D, Gabani P, Chandel AK, Ronen Z, Singh OV. Bioremediation: a genuine technology to remediate radionuclides from the environment. Microb Biotechnol 2013; 6:349-60. [PMID: 23617701 PMCID: PMC3917470 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.12059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Revised: 03/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Radionuclides in the environment are a major human and environmental health concern. Like the Chernobyl disaster of 1986, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011 is once again causing damage to the environment: a large quantity of radioactive waste is being generated and dumped into the environment, and if the general population is exposed to it, may cause serious life-threatening disorders. Bioremediation has been viewed as the ecologically responsible alternative to environmentally destructive physical remediation. Microorganisms carry endogenous genetic, biochemical and physiological properties that make them ideal agents for pollutant remediation in soil and groundwater. Attempts have been made to develop native or genetically engineered (GE) microbes for the remediation of environmental contaminants including radionuclides. Microorganism-mediated bioremediation can affect the solubility, bioavailability and mobility of radionuclides. Therefore, we aim to unveil the microbial-mediated mechanisms for biotransformation of radionuclides under various environmental conditions as developing strategies for waste management of radionuclides. A discussion follows of '-omics'-integrated genomics and proteomics technologies, which can be used to trace the genes and proteins of interest in a given microorganism towards a cell-free bioremediation strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhan Prakash
- Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, 160036, India
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Mrozik A, Piotrowska-Seget Z. Bioaugmentation as a strategy for cleaning up of soils contaminated with aromatic compounds. Microbiol Res 2009; 165:363-75. [PMID: 19735995 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2009.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2009] [Revised: 07/29/2009] [Accepted: 08/01/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The contamination of soil with aromatic compounds is of particular environmental concern as they exhibit carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. One of the methods of their removal from soil is bioaugmentation, defined as a technique for improvement of the degradative capacity of contaminated areas by introduction of specific competent strains or consortia of microorganisms. The efficiency of bioaugmentation is determined by many abiotic and biotic factors discussed in this paper. The first include chemical structure, concentration and availability of pollutants as well as physico-chemical properties of soil. In turn, among biotic factors the most important is the selection of proper microorganisms that can not only degrade contaminants but can also successfully compete with indigenous microflora. Several strategies are being developed to make augmentation a successful technology particularly in soils without degrading indigenous microorganisms. These approaches involve the use of genetically engineered microorganisms and gene bioaugmentation. The enhancement of bioaugmentation may be also achieved by delivering suitable microorganisms immobilized on various carriers or use of activated soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Mrozik
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Silesia, Jagiellońska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland.
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