Growth in synthetic medium of two airborne fungal species with potential for uranium bioremediation

CAVALITTO, SEBASTIÁN FERNANDO; GARGARELLO, ROMINA; DI GREGORIO, D; FERNANDEZ NIELLO, J; HUCK, H; SOMACAL, H; PARDO, ALEJANDRO; CURUTCHET, GUSTAVO

Buenos Aires - Argentina

Congreso; Cuarto Congreso Argentino de Microbiología General; 2007

Sociedad Argentina de Microbiología General

Metal uptake by microbial biomass has been extensively investigated to remove metallic and radionuclide pollutants from aqueous solutions. This process has special interest in the purification of large volumes of wastewater with low concentrations of metals since it is difficult or expensive to accomplish it by conventional metal-removal processes like chemical precipitation, reverse osmosis, membrane separation and ion exchange. In this work we present results of stoichiometry and kinetic of growth of two low pH and highly uranium resistant air-borne fungi, which were isolated from contaminated bacterial cultures. Preliminary uranium sorption by the two fungal species was measured by means of gamma ray spectroscopy. Results show good growth in synthetic medium with glucose and ammonia as carbon and nitrogen source respectively. Typical oxidative metabolism of carbohydrates was found. In vivo uptake of the radionuclide was negligible, but dry biomass biosorption shows good performance. Strains show good potential for bioremediation.