Study on microbial activity in bioremediation of heavy metals in Amazon area

Abstract

Recently, technological development has been resulted in an industrial growth and has been creating serious environmental problems as concern worldwide. Heavy metals have received special attention among many others contaminants, because their persistence in ecosystems and their capability of accumulation throughout the food chain (even in low amounts). The industrial sector causes heavy metals' introduction in the environment and doesn't treat property wastewaters. Environmental legislation in Brazil has very strict standards regarding discharge of heavy metals contaminated water. For a successful treatment of such effluents, it is relevant to concern about new technologies more efficient and economics to allow the removal of metals heavy from contaminated environment. Since some time ago, microorganisms have been used for treatment (remediation) of organic waste and more recently, we started to consider its job for bioremediation of heavy metals. Today the treatment of contaminated area is carried out conventional technologies based on physicochemical principles, which are inefficient and uneconomical. Alternatively, a new technology, called bioremediation, is being more important due to the advantages it offers: simplicity, efficiency and low cost. Bioremediation may be a viable alternative for areas contaminated by heavy metals. It's needed to evaluate the use of resistant and effective microorganisms in removing the metal, because it's required to be selected organisms with favorable characteristics for the process. In this context, the aim of this project is isolating and characterizing microorganisms from a mining area located in state of Para, evaluating the mechanisms and strategies for using in the remediation of contaminated areas, in order to optimize its adsorb heavy metal ions ability and use these bacteria for bioremediation of mining effluents.