Bacteria can turn toxic uranium into stable, environmentally safe form

[Marlin]

Bacteria can turn toxic uranium into stable, environmentally safe form

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/bacteria-turn-toxic-uranium-stable-180000703.html

[Core Content]

Researchers from Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf and the University of Granada have identified a microbial process that converts dissolved uranium into a stable, solid form. By introducing glycerol to water samples from a flooded mine, the team stimulated bacteria to trap uranium within their cell walls as a persistent iron-uranium compound.

This discovery provides a potential alternative to traditional chemical remediation methods for legacy mining sites. The stability of the resulting pentavalent uranium compound suggests that biological in-situ treatment could effectively immobilize heavy metals in groundwater. Further research is required to determine the scalability of this process for large-scale environmental cleanup operations.

Uranium pollution has lingered in soil and water for decades, often long after mining operations have ended. In many places, the metal remains dissolved in groundwater, posing risks to ecosystems and ...

Researchers from Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, working with Wismut GmbH and scientists at the University of Granada, have shown that naturally occurring bacteria can transform dissolved uranium into a stable chemical form. Their findings reveal a previously unknown pathway that could reshape how contaminated environments are cleaned.

Uranium is usually trapped in minerals deep in the ground. Under certain conditions, it can dissolve into water and spread through the environment. Mining, groundwater movement, and chemical changes can all trigger this shift.

Read the full article at Yahoo News:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/bacteria-turn-toxic-uranium-stable-180000703.html