Title
Peruvian Native Bacterial Strains as Potential Bioremediation Agents in Hg-Polluted Soils by Artisanal Mining Activities in Southern Peru
Date Issued
01 August 2022
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
López-Casaperalta P.
Febres-Molina C.
Bernabe-Ortiz J.C.
Fernandez-F F.
Publisher(s)
MDPI
Abstract
Bioremediation of soils and waters due to mercury (Hg) contamination represents one of the most critical environmental challenges. In addition, this challenge is even greater in arid soils due to the low economic interest in these regions. Such is the case of the Secocha Annex, located in the Arequipa province of Camaná in Southern Peru. In this region, the excessive use of Hg in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities has seriously endangered the health of its inhabitants. Unfortunately, there are few projects aimed at improving the environmental and sanitary conditions of this locality. An alternative to conventional cleaning technology is the use of native microorganisms that allow the recovery of ecological environments with low-cost and low-tech techniques. This work aims to present two new Hg-resistant bacterial strains obtained from Hg-polluted soils of the Secocha Annex as potential bioremediation agents. Both strains showed growth capacity on Hg substrates and their adsorption behaviors and Hg removal capacities were evaluated. By deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis, both Gram-positive strains were identified as Kocuria sp. (99.35% similarity) and Zhihengliuella sp. (99.78% similarity). Spectrometry results showed elimination capacities with values close to 28.4 and 33.3 % in an incubation time period of 45 days, with the maximum elimination efficiency in the first 24 h. These results are encouraging and offer new possibilities for the use of native strains in the bioremediation of arid soils contaminated with Hg in the Secocha Annex. Furthermore, due to the low cost and minimization of negative impacts, this technique and our bacterial strains could be used in other regions of Peru.
Volume
14
Issue
16
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ciencias del medio ambiente
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85137744391
Source
Sustainability (Switzerland)
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus