Integrated Investigation on the Production and Fate of Organo-Cr(III) Complexes from Microbial Reduction of Chromate

The screening of different genera of bacteria for production of soluble Cr(III) complexes has been completed. A total of eight organisms were screened for production of soluble Cr(III); three were Gram positive and five were Gram negative. The Gram positive bacteria were Cellulomonas sp. ES 6, Rhodococcus sp., and Leafsonia sp., while Shewanella. oneidensis MR 1, Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20, D. vulgaris Hildenborough, Pseudomonas putida MK 1 and Ps. aeruginosa PAO 1 were Gram negative. S. oneidensis MR 1 and Cellulomonas sp ES 6 were grown in minimal media, GWM (Ground Water Medium with lactate/fumarate) and SGM (Simulated Groundwater Medium with sucrose), respectively. Other bacteria were screened under non-growth conditions with sucrose, lactate, or glycerol as electron donor. All experiments were carried out for a period of 15-30 days, with different organisms reaching a maximum soluble Cr(III) concentrations at different times: S. oneidensis, 2d; Cellulomonas sp., 8d; Leafsonia, 6d; Rhodococcus, 9d; Ps. putida MK 1, 6d, Ps. aeruginosa PAO 1, 3d; D. vulgaris Hildenborough, 3d; and D. desulfuricans G20, 21d. Initial characterization indicates that the soluble Cr(III) fraction produced by both S. oneidensis MR 1 and Cellulomonas sp. ES 6 passes through a 1-Kd cut off filter