NEW
YORK, July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --
Bioremediation using microorganisms has emerged as a sustainable
solution for addressing potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils.
A recent study conducted by a team of scientists, led by Dr.
Amanda
Ferreira and Dr. Tiago Ferreira (unrelated) from the
Department of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of São
Paulo, Brazil evaluated the
effectiveness of a microbial consortium contained in Microbe-Lift
technology, represented by BioVirtus, in
remediating iron-rich mining tailings. The results of
the research revealed significant changes in the
geochemical fractionation of iron and PTEs in the solid phase,
demonstrating the impact of the microbial treatments on PTE
bioavailability. Increasing microbial count led to an increase in
the dissolution of PTEs, suggesting potential applications in
assisting other remediation strategies such as phytoremediation and
immobilization through biomineralization. Dr. Amanda Ferreira shared this observation of the
research, "Soils are a complex environment, and when they are
contaminated with multiple PTEs, the microbial consortium has many
advantages such as synergistic interactions allowing the
simultaneous remediation of more than one contaminant, also
better adaptation and resistance in multi-contaminated
sites".
These findings have significant environmental implications.
By enhancing removal and immobilization of PTEs from mining
tailings, microbial bioremediation offers a sustainable approach to
mitigating contamination and reducing the risk of hazardous
elements leaching into surrounding ecosystems. Increased
bioavailability of micronutrients resulting from microbial
treatment facilitate the uptake and sequestration of PTEs by
vegetation, enhancing the effectiveness of phytoremediation
strategies in contaminated areas. Unique effects were demonstrated
in Cadmium-Cd, Chromium-(Cd, Copper-Cu, Lead-Pb, Iron-Fe and
Manganese-Mn.
These findings correlate closely with the findings
Microbe-Lift's parent company, Ecological Labs has seen in the
field. Delvia Lukito, head of
R&D at Ecological Labs shared, "In past Citrus
and Vegetable work, 3rd parties noted a similar
formulation delivered tremendous success in unlocking
micronutrients in soil as demonstrated thru plant uptake and tissue
samples." Tania Sandaniel, CEO of BioVirtus expressed,
"the 2015 Mariana disaster, was the
greatest environmental tragedy in the history of Brazil, releasing ~62 million cubic meters of
mining waste that traveled >600km until reaching the Rio Doce
estuary in Espirito Santo. This
study demonstrates BioVirtus is bringing the next evolution
in bioremediation technologies to solve environmental challenges in
Brazil and beyond."
These findings underscore the potential of microbial
bioremediation, specifically Microbe-Lift technology, as a
cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for
remediating contaminated sites and restoring ecosystem
health.
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content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bioremediation-field-research-jointly-conducted-by-ecological-laboratories-and-biovirtus-demonstrates-soil-reclamation-results-mining-heavy-metals-302191331.html
SOURCE Ecological Laboratories, Inc.