Microbial Role in Cleaning Environmental Pollution

Remediation of radioactive contamination involves containment, vitrification, and, increasingly, biological stabilization. Some microbes, such as Deinococcus radiodurans and uranium-reducing Geobacter species, exhibit resistance to radiation and can alter the solubility or mobility of radionuclides. These organisms are being studied for their role in long-term bioremediation at nuclear waste sites. Recent research by Fredrickson et al. (2004) has shown promising microbial reduction of uranium under anaerobic conditions, limiting its groundwater mobility.