Characteristics of Hg-resistant bacteria isolated from Minamata Bay sediment.
Seventy-two strains of Hg-resistant bacteria (Pseudomonas) were isolated on agar plates containing 40 micrograms/ml of HgCl2 from Minamata Bay sediment, which was heavily polluted with mercury (45.8 micrograms/g). The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of mercurial compounds were determined for the Hg-resistant pseudomonads and 65 strains (Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus sp., Vibrio sp., and Corynebacterium sp.) isolated from Sendai Bay sediment (1 microgram/g of mercury) as control. The MICs to HgCl2, CH3HgCl, C2H5HgCl, C3H7HgCl, and C6H5HgOCOCH3 for the Hg-resistant pseudomonads from Minamata Bay were significantly higher than those of strains from Sendai Bay. The volatilization from liquid culture containing 20 micrograms/ml of HgCl2 was observed in all of the Hg-resistant pseudomonads from Minamata Bay (70 strains). The mean loss of mercury from liquid culture was 60.4 +/- 17.3%. Further study is warranted to determine what role the Hg-resistant bacteria, particularly the Pseudomonas species, play in the mercury cycle in Minamata Bay.
Nakamura
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K
Fujisaki
T
T
Tamashiro
H
H
D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D007564:Japan; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009941:Organomercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D009941:Organomercury Compounds; D014873:Water Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008627:Mercuric Chloride