Bioremediation of Lead by a Halophilic Bacteria Bacillus pumilus Isolated from the Mangrove Regions of Karnataka

One bacterial isolate Bacillus pumilus out of hundred and twenty-eight screened for tolerance against Pb, Cd, Ba, Cr, Fe, Cu, and F was found to be resistant against all. Hence it was selected up for detail study. The Bacillus sp. could stand up to 900 ppm of Pb and remove nearly 96% of Pb at neutral pH. Subjecting to a change in pH nearly 45% of metal found to be adsorbed on to the cell surface. Rupturing the cell for absorption studies reveals absorption of 412 ppm and 462 ppm at pH 6 and 8 respectively as compared to 296 ppm at neutral pH. The isolate was molecularly identified in our earlier paper and had received an accession no. MF472596. This investigation justifies pH specificity in enhancing biosorption activity of Bacillus sp. towards the metal ion.