Effective bioremediation of Cadmium (II), nickel (II), and chromium (VI) in a marine environment by using Desulfovibrio desulfuricans

Sulfate-reducing bacteria play a significant role in the bioremediation of heavy metal-contaminated water. In this study, we report an effective removal method for Cd, Ni, and Cr from a marine environment by using Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, which is a sulfate-reducing bacterium. D. desulfuricans showed stable growth characteristics in highly salinated water, and a strong resistance to these heavy metals. When attempting to drastically increase the removal ratio, the addition of ferrous ion with SO₄ ²⁻ was found to be important for the removal of heavy metals from the salinated medium. In addition, the heavy metals tended to be more effectively removed from the medium at 37°C. In the case of heavy metals, 99.9, 98.3, and 74.2% of the Cd, Ni, and Cr, respectively, were effectively removed when present at 100 ppm concentration.