Reduction of uranium by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans

Journal Article · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5092224

Lovley, D R; Phillips, E J.P. ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)

The possibility that sulfate-reducing microorganisms contribute to U(VI) reduction in sedimentary environments was investigated. U(VI) was reduced to U(IV) when washed cells of sulfate-grown Desulfovibrio desulfuricans were suspended in a bicarbonate buffer with lactate of H{sub 2} as the electron donor. There was no U(VI) reduction in the absence of an electron donor or when the cells were killed by heat prior to the incubation. The rates of U(VI) reduction were comparable to those in respiratory Fe(III)-reducing microorganisms. Azide or prior exposure of the cells to air did not affect the ability of D. desulfuricans to reduce U(VI). Attempts to grow D. desulfuricans with U(VI) as the electron acceptor were unsuccessful. U(VI) reduction resulted in the extracellular precipitation of the U(IV) mineral uraninite. The presence of sulfate had no effect on the rate of U(VI) reduction. Sulfate and U(VI) were reduced simultaneously. Enzymatic reduction of U(VI) by D. desulfuricans was much faster than nonenzymatic reduction of U(VI) by sulfide, even when cells of D. desulfuricans were added to provide a potential catalytic surface for the nonenzymatic reaction. The results indicate that enzymatic U(VI) reduction by sulfate-reducing microorganisms may be responsible for the accumulation of U(IV) in sulfidogenic environments. Furthermore, since the reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) precipitates uranium from solution, D. desulfuricans might be a useful organism for recovering uranium from contaminated waters and waste streams.

• OSTI ID: 5092224
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States) Vol. 58:3; ISSN 0099-2240; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTINIDES
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLEANING
DECOMPOSITION
DECONTAMINATION
DESULFOVIBRIO
ELEMENTS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID WASTES
METABOLISM
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REDUCTION
SULFATE-REDUCING BACTERIA
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
URANIUM
USES
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER