Biotechnology for the treatment of metal pollution

Abstract

Mining by its nature consumes, diverts and can seriously pollute water resources. In Goa pollution due to mining and other industries is of serious environmental concern. Goa's Mandovi estuary faces the threat of anthropogenic pollution, consequently the salterns adjacent to and fed by the estuary would obviously also get affected. In the salterns metals get concentrated along with the brine. Therefore, theoretically speaking, the salt from these salterns should also contain high concentrations of metals. Since the salt is used for local consumption, there could be chronic exposure of humans to heavy metals. This has been linked to various diseases, including neurodegenerative conditions, dysfunction of vital organs like liver and kidney, and even cancer. However, the metal content in the Ribandar salterns was found to be mitigated. Metal tolerant heterotrophic bacteria were found to play a pivotal role in the cycling of metals. Therefore the practical signi?cance of the applicability of these bacteria in the removal of heavy metals from salterns has been discussed in thispaper.