Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

MICROBES IN THE POLLUTED ENVIRONMENT : 1. PRELIMINARY SCREENING AND ISOLATION OF BACTERIA FROM MERCURY CONTAMINATED WASTE SOIL OF A CHLOR-ALKALI FACTORY.

Samita Mishra, B. Khuntia and B.B. Mishra

Abstract

An attempt was made in this investigation to study presence of native microflora in mercury contaminate waste soil (5% to 30% IN/ W) from a chlor-alkali factory. Preliminary screening suggest, presence of alkalophilic Bacillus species in the soil contaminated with mercury. Microbes started growing in varying concentration of the waste soil from 72 hours and the log phase was reported between 72 to 96 hours. At 120 hours stationary phase of the microbes had reached without any further growth. Some coloured organisms also developed in the waste soil contaminated medium, suggesting not only acclimatization of the microbes, to the alkaline mercury contaminated waste, but also presence of varied organisms in the area surrounding the waste.