Molecular characterization of early colonizer bacteria from wastes in a steel plant.
OBJECTIVE
Forty-nine bacteria isolated from four newly-produced waste samples of a steel industry, which had a high content of CaO, MgO, Cr and P2O5, were characterized molecularly and phenotypically by susceptibility testing against heavy metals.


RESULTS
Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolates belonged to nine genera, Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Dietzia, Kocuria, Diaphorobacter, Staphylococcus and Brevibacillus. Besides, some isolates could be affiliated to species: M. luteus, Ac. junii, Ac. schindleri, B. cereus, K. marina, D. nitroreducens and Staph. warneri. The bacteria that were characterized are taxonomically diverse, and Pseudomonas and Micrococcus predominated. Fingerprinting BOX-PCR revealed high genomic heterogeneity among the isolates. Among the heavy metal compounds Zn, Ni, Pb and Cu were least toxic to the bacterial isolates, whereas Ag inhibited all isolates at 0.001 mmol l(-1).


CONCLUSIONS
Heterotrophic bacteria, affiliated with several phylogentic groups, were able to colonize different wastes of a steel industry.


CONCLUSIONS
This study extends our knowledge of the early colonizers bacteria populating siderurgic environments. Some of these bacteria could have potential for recycling siderurgic waste for steel production.
Freitas
D B
DB
Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Lima-Bittencourt
C I
CI
Reis
M P
MP
Costa
P S
PS
Assis
P S
PS
Chartone-Souza
E
E
Nascimento
A M A
AM
D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013232:Steel
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013232:Steel