Isolation and Characterization of Arsenic
Tolerant Bacteria from Industrial Soil
and Analysing Its Metal Removal Potency
Aishwarya Das, Ranjana Das, and Chiranjib Bhattacharjee
Abstract Heavy metals are typically categorized as unavoidable contaminants of
environment and arsenic is the most crucial heavy metal of concern. Arsenic appears
in nature in different oxidation state and trivalent one, As(III) is reported as the
component responsible for toxicity to animal and human as this form is more persistent in nature and cannot be broken down completely in non-toxic form. The present
study aims to introduce the concept of microbiology to neutralize/eliminate the toxicity of As (III). Seven bacteria were isolated from two soil samples collected from
the industrial zone of district Howrah and district South 24 Paraganas, West Bengal.
The MIC values of the isolated bacterial systems experimentally observed and a
consortium was prepared based on MIC values to achieve optimum removal efficiency. The consortium was found to tolerate up 200 mM of As(III) concentration
and highest arsenic removal potency of 92% was observed. The plasmid DNA isolation and degradation were also performed to confirm the presence of desired genes
promoting survival of the bacteria in stress conditions. Hence, with proper design
and tuning, the isolates bioremediation of As(III) contaminated effluents may be
achieved with immense societal benefits.
Keywords Arsenic · Bioremediation · Arsenic tolerant bacteria · Industrial soil ·
Metal removal potency
A. Das · R. Das · C. Bhattacharjee (B)
Chemical Engineering Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India
e-mail: c.bhatta@gmail.com; chiranjib@jadavpuruniversity.in
A. Das
e-mail: signhereaish09@gmail.com
R. Das
e-mail: ranjanads78@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. Ramkrishna et al. (eds.), Advances in Bioprocess Engineering and Technology,
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7409-2_23
233
Tolerant Bacteria from Industrial Soil
and Analysing Its Metal Removal Potency
Aishwarya Das, Ranjana Das, and Chiranjib Bhattacharjee
Abstract Heavy metals are typically categorized as unavoidable contaminants of
environment and arsenic is the most crucial heavy metal of concern. Arsenic appears
in nature in different oxidation state and trivalent one, As(III) is reported as the
component responsible for toxicity to animal and human as this form is more persistent in nature and cannot be broken down completely in non-toxic form. The present
study aims to introduce the concept of microbiology to neutralize/eliminate the toxicity of As (III). Seven bacteria were isolated from two soil samples collected from
the industrial zone of district Howrah and district South 24 Paraganas, West Bengal.
The MIC values of the isolated bacterial systems experimentally observed and a
consortium was prepared based on MIC values to achieve optimum removal efficiency. The consortium was found to tolerate up 200 mM of As(III) concentration
and highest arsenic removal potency of 92% was observed. The plasmid DNA isolation and degradation were also performed to confirm the presence of desired genes
promoting survival of the bacteria in stress conditions. Hence, with proper design
and tuning, the isolates bioremediation of As(III) contaminated effluents may be
achieved with immense societal benefits.
Keywords Arsenic · Bioremediation · Arsenic tolerant bacteria · Industrial soil ·
Metal removal potency
A. Das · R. Das · C. Bhattacharjee (B)
Chemical Engineering Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India
e-mail: c.bhatta@gmail.com; chiranjib@jadavpuruniversity.in
A. Das
e-mail: signhereaish09@gmail.com
R. Das
e-mail: ranjanads78@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. Ramkrishna et al. (eds.), Advances in Bioprocess Engineering and Technology,
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7409-2_23
233