title: Biostimulation of metal-resistant microbial consortium to remove zinc from contaminated environments.
abstract: Understanding the diversity and metal removal ability of microorganisms associated to contaminated aquatic environments is essential to develop metal remediation technologies in engineered environments. This study investigates through 16S rRNA deep sequencing the composition of a biostimulated microbial consortium obtained from the polluted Tietê River in São Paulo, Brazil. The bacterial diversity of the biostimulated consortium obtained from the contaminated water and sediment was compared to the original sample. The results of the comparative sequencing analyses showed that the biostimulated consortium and the natural environment had γ-Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and uncultured bacteria as the major classes of microorganisms. The consortium optimum zinc removal capacity, evaluated in batch experiments, was achieved at pH=5 with equilibrium contact time of 120min, and a higher Zn-biomass affinity (KF=1.81) than most pure cultures previously investigated. Analysis of the functional groups found in the consortium demonstrated that amine, carboxyl, hydroxyl, and phosphate groups present in the consortium cells were responsible for zinc uptake.
authors: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Departamento de Engenharia Hidráulica e Ambiental, Escola Politécnica, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Isis E
authors: IE
authors: Mejias Carpio
authors: Instituto Oceanográfico. Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Diego Castillo
authors: DC
authors: Franco
authors: CETESB - Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Maria Inês
authors: MI
authors: Zanoli Sato
authors: Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Solange
authors: S
authors: Sakata
authors: Instituto Oceanográfico. Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Vivian H
authors: VH
authors: Pellizari
authors: Departamento de Engenharia Hidráulica e Ambiental, Escola Politécnica, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Sidney
authors: S
authors: Seckler Ferreira Filho
authors: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: dfrigirodrigues@uh.edu.
authors: Debora
authors: D
authors: Frigi Rodrigues
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001938:Brazil; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D059013:Microbial Consortia; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Biosorption; Diversity; Heavy metal; Microbial consortium; Zinc