Influence of microorganisms on arsenic mobilization and speciation in a submerged contaminated soil: Effects of citrate

Batch-type leaching experiments were performed on polluted soil contaminated by pyrite cinders to evaluate the effect of indigenous bacteria on arsenic mobilization. The bacteria, under submerged conditions using citrate as the carbon source, enhanced the solubilization of arsenic, iron and manganese. At the same time, 85 mg kg⁻¹ of copper were abiotically released. Iron reduction significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the release of arsenic. During 7 days of incubation at high redox potential, the arsenite content increased suggesting aerobic arsenic-resistant bacteria bearing arsC genes as key players for arsenate reduction. Arsenate became prevalent in consequence of arsenic liberation from iron oxides and the lowering of redox potential, driven by citrate, inhibited the growth and activity of arsenate-resistant bacteria. Populations of Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Geobacter were stimulated by the addition of citrate as evidenced by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of 16S rRNA genes. Putative ars genes were retrieved in isolates of Bacillus and Pseudomonas. These isolates were able to reduce 2 mmol l⁻¹ of arsenate in liquid cultures. These results confirm that microorganisms play an important role in As cycling in soils and highlight the complex role of citrate on biotic and abiotic transformations of inorganic contaminants. The environmental dispersion of arsenic can be retarded by resorption or coprecipitation processes occurring during flooding. Nevertheless, periodic flooding can be a crucial factor for the groundwater quality and the soil–water–plant systems.     

Isolation and characterization of potassium solubilizing bacteria in some Iranian soils

The ability of a few soil bacteria to transform unavailable forms of potassium (K) to an available form is an important feature in plant growth-promoting bacteria for increasing plant yields of high-K-demand crops. In this research, isolation, screening, and characterization of six isolates of K solubilizing bacteria (KSB) from some Iranian soils were carried out. The ability of all isolates were tested in three treatments including acid-leached soil, biotite, and muscovite by analyzing the soluble K content after 5 days of incubation at 28 ± 2°C. Identification and phylogenetic analyses were also carried out by morphological, biochemical, and 16S rDNA analyses. Among the six efficient isolates, five isolates belonged to Bacillus megaterium (JK3, JK4, JK5, JK6, and JK7), while isolate JK2 belonged to Arthrobacter sp. The soluble K contents in all isolated-treatments were significantly (p < 0.01) higher than the contents in nonbacteria treatment. Herein, isolate JK2 had lower potential for K solubilization (910 mg kg^?1) compared with other isolates in acid-leached soils. The six bacterial strains showed higher solubilized K in biotite treatment than other two treatments. Overall, it can be concluded that the isolates belong to B. megaterium are the most efficient KSB under in vitro condition.     

A quantitative evaluation and phylogenetic characterization of oligotrophic denitrifying bacteria harbored in subsurface upland soil using improved culturability

This is the first investigation to show that oligotrophic denitrifying bacteria are dominant denitrifiers in subsurface upland soil. We examined the vertical distribution of denitrifying bacterial populations in upland soil using two kinds of enumeration media. The number of denitrifying bacteria, enumerated in subsurface soil layers by a 100-fold diluted nutrient broth (DNB) medium with NO₃ ⁻, was two to three orders of magnitude greater than those enumerated by a conventional nutrient broth medium with NO₃ ⁻, suggesting the dominance of oligotrophic denitrifying bacteria. Seventy-four percent of the total denitrifying bacterial isolates were DNB organisms of the oligotrophic type, which did not show appreciable growth on a conventional nutrient broth medium. The isolates were heterogeneous and were categorized as alpha (35 strains) and beta (19 strains) subdivisions of proteobacteria and high G+C gram-positive bacteria (7 strains) by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The 35-alpha subdivision of proteobacterial isolates was of oligotrophic type and widely distributed from the surface to subsurface soil layers. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that some isolates belonged to groups with few or no cultivated representatives, and that one isolate may be a member of a new genus. This isolation procedure, using diluted media, is valuable in detecting diverse and novel denitrifying bacteria in the subsurface soil.     

Cropping and the diversity and function of bacteria in Pahokee muck

The role of the soil bacterial populations of Pahokee muck in glucose and succinate oxidation, the bacterial diversity of this soil, and specific catabolic capacities of the bacterial isolates from Pahokee muck were examined. Measurement of ¹⁴CO₂ evolution from glucose and succinate in the presence of protein synthesis inhibitors suggested that the soil bacteria were responsible for 57–60% of this respiration. The bacterial diversity (H') of soils from fallow, sugarcane (Saccharum spp) and St Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt) Kuntz) fields were 2.76, 3.49 and 3.75. respectively, but rarefaction analysis of the data indicated that the diversities were not significantly different (χ = 0.05). Analysis of the distribution of the isolates amongst the 21 phena from the three soil sample sites indicated that the structures of the bacterial communities of the cropped and fallow soils were very similar. These data suggest that the potential catabolic activities of the soil bacteria were the same in the soils from the fallow, sugarcane and grass fields. Differences in the environmental factors and population densities were responsible for the different enzymatic and respiratory activities observed in freshly-collected soil samples.     

pH和磷的交互作用对稳定化土壤砷释放的影响

以3种含Fe材料稳定化土壤(FeSO_4、FeS和Fe~0稳定化土壤)为研究对象,研究了不同pH和P的交互作用对As释放量的影响及其作用机理。结果表明,在pH=3条件下,随着时间的延长能够促进释放的As重新趋于稳定化,而pH=11时3种稳定化土壤中As的释放量显著增加,144 h后分别约为pH=3时的10.5、16和10倍。添加P时,在3种pH条件下都促进了稳定化土壤中As的释放,尤其在酸性条件下,相对于无P体系As的释放量增加最为明显。FeSO_4稳定化土壤中As的释放特征能用Elovich方程较好地描述,而双常数方程拟合FeS和Fe~0稳定化土壤效果更优。在pH=3条件下,3种稳定化土壤中As的释放量与Ca、Mg、Mn的溶出量呈(极)显著相关,而pH=11时FeSO_4和FeS稳定化土壤中As的释放量与SO_4~(2–)的溶出量呈(极)显著相关,表明在酸性条件下,稳定化土壤As的释放主要受Ca、Mg、Mn氧化物结合态As溶解的影响,而碱性条件下,FeSO_4和FeS稳定化土壤中As的释放可能与硫化物的溶解有关。     

Phosphate Solubilizing Ability and Phylogenetic Diversity of Bacteria from P-Rich Soils Around Dianchi Lake Drainage Area of China

The phylogenetic diversity of phosphate solubilizing bacteria(PSB)distributed in P-rich soils in the Dianchi Lake drainage area of China was characterized,and the tricalcium phosphate(TCP)solubilizing activities of isolated PSB were determined.Among 1 328 bacteria isolated from 100 P-rich soil samples,377 isolates(28.39%of the total)that exhibited TCP solubilization activity were taken as PSB.These PSB showed different abilities to solubilize TCP,with the concentrations of solubilized P in bacterial cultures varying from 33.48 to 69.63 mg L^-1.A total of 123 PSB isolates,with relatively high TCP solubilization activity(>54.00 mg L^-1),were submitted for restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP)analysis,which revealed 32 unique RFLP patterns.Based on these patterns,62 representative isolates,one to three from each RFLP pattern,were seffected for 16S rRNA sequencing.Phylogenetic analysis placed the 123 PSB into three bacterial phyla,namely Proteobacteria,Actinobacteria and Firmicutes.Members of Proteobacteria were the dominant PSB,where 107 isolates represented by 26 RFLP patterns were associated with the genera of Burkholderia,Pseudomonas,Acinetobacter,Enterobacter,Pantoea,Serratia,Klebsiella,Leclercia,Raoultella and Cedecea.Firmicutes were the subdominant group,in which 13 isolates were affiliated with the genera of Bacillus and Brevibacterium.The remaining 3 isolates were identified as three species of the genus Arthrobacter.This research extends the knowledge on PSB in P-rich soils and broadens the spectrum of PSB for the development of environmentally friendly biophosphate fertilizers.     

Characterization of cultivable heterotrophic bacterial communities in Cr-polluted and unpolluted soils using Biolog and ARDRA approaches

The bacterial communities of two soils with different chromium levels were characterized by Biolog carbon substrate utilization patterns and amplified 16S ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA). For each bacterial community sample, cell suspensions containing 10,000 or 100 colony-forming units (CFU) were inoculated in each well of Biolog-GN microplates. The number of carbon compounds utilized by the bacterial community consisting of 100 CFU from unpolluted soil was significantly lower than that detected for the bacterial community consisting of 10,000 CFU. The size of inoculum did not substantially influence the percentage of carbon sources utilized by the Cr-polluted soil bacterial community. ARDRA approach was applied to about 100 bacterial isolates for each soil sample. A similar number of clusters for Gram-negative bacteria were found in both soils, but there were differences in percentages of isolates belonging to each group and specific genomic groups were found in each soil. Pseudomonas was the dominant taxon in both soils. Comparing the ARDRA clusters obtained from Gram-positive isolates it was evident that the culturable bacterial communities of Cr-polluted and unpolluted soils were dominated by the genus Arthrobacter and the genus Bacillus, respectively.     

Distribution and phenotypic characteristics of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) nodulating bacteria in diverse soils

ABSTRACT

Bacteria were isolated from the root nodules using common bean as a trap host. Growth and morphological characteristics of the bacterial isolates were described on yeast extract mannitol mineral salts agar and broth media. The results showed that over 67% of the isolates produced extracellular polysaccharide with an entire margin and convex elevation. The others differentiated into cream yellow, cream white and milky white colouration with colony area ranging from 0.8 to 26?mm². The population levels of bacteria nodulating common bean varied in soils and were not affected by the cropping system. However, selected soil parameters greatly influenced the occurrence and distribution of these bacteria. The isolation of indigenous bacteria in all the soils with different cropping systems is an indication that the soils are favourable for nitrogen fixation. Based on the differences in cultural characteristics of the isolates, our data demonstrate the presence of high diversity of bacteria associated with bean nodules.     

Influence of texture on habitable pore space and bacterial-protozoan populations in soil

Summary Soil texture affects pore space, and bacterial and protozoan populations in soil. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that bacteria are more protected from protozoan predation in fine-textured soils than in coarse-textured soils because they have a larger volume of protected pore space available to them. The experiment consisted of three sterilized Orthic Black Chernozemic soils (silty clay, clay loam, and sandy loam) inoculated with bacteria, two treatments (with and without protozoa), and five sampling dates. The soils were amended with glucose and mineral N on day 0. On day 4 bacterial numbers in all three soils were approximately 3×10⁹ g^–1 soil. The greatest reduction in bacteria due to protozoan grazing occurred between day 4 and day 7. Compared to the treatment without protozoa, bacteria in the treatment with protozoa were reduced by 68, 50, and 75% in the silty clay, clay loam, and sandy loam, respectively. On day 4, 2 days after the protozoan inoculation, all protozoa were active. The numbers were 10330, 4760, and 15 380 g^–1 soil for the silty clay, clay loam, and sandy loam, respectively. Between day 4 and day 7, the period of greatest bacterial decline, total protozoa increased greatly to 150480, 96160, and 192100 g^–1 soil for the three soils, respectively. Most protozoa encysted by day 7. In all soils the addition of protozoa significantly increased CO₂–C evolution per g soil relative to the treatment without protozoa. Our results support the hypothesis that bacteria are more protected from protozoan predation in fine-textured soils than in coarse-textured soils.     

Responses of soil microbial communities to manure and biochar in wheat cultivation of a rice-wheat rotation agroecosystem in East China

Soil contamination in agroecosystems remains a global environmental problem. Biochar has been suggested as an organic amendment to alleviate soil pollution, sequester carbon(C), and improve soil fertility. However, information on how bacterial and fungal communities in acidic bulk and rhizosphere soils respond to swine manure and its biochar is still lacking. In this study, biochar and swine manure were applied at two rates of 1.5 and 3 t ha^-1 in a rice-wheat rotation field to assess ...     

Enhanced microbial degradation of pentachlorophenol from soil in the presence of earthworms: Evidence of functional bacteria using DNA-stable isotope probing

This study investigated the effect of two earthworm species (Amynthas robustus Perrier and Eisenia fetida Savigny) on the soil microbial degradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP). PCP-degrading microbes were identified using DNA-stable isotope probing (SIP). The results showed that adsorption and fixing to soil particles and organic fractions dominated the fate of PCP in soil without any amendments. The inoculation of both earthworm species significantly enhanced soil PCP disappearance and basal respiration. The DNA-SIP results revealed that Klebsiella, Cupriavidus, Aeromonas, and Burkholderia spp. were present at higher relative abundances in [¹³C]-labeled-PCP-amended soil microcosms than [¹²C]-PCP-amended soil in the presence of A. robustus, indicating that these bacterial species were responsible for PCP assimilation. Cupriavidus and Aeromonas sp. were also detected in the earthworm gut before inoculation, and their relative abundance was affected by earthworms. These results demonstrated that earthworms can introduce functional bacteria into soils and increase the population of PCP-degrading bacteria, thereby accelerating soil PCP degradation.     

Interactions of Azospirillum spp. in soils: a review

 This review summarizes and discusses the current knowledge and the, as yet, unanswered questions on the interactions of Azospirillum spp. in bulk soil (but not in the rhizosphere). It contains sections on the isolation of these bacteria from tropical to temperate soils, and on their short- and long-term persistence in bulk soil. The interactions of these bacteria with soil particles and minerals such as clay, sand and Ca, and the effect of soil pH, soil redox potential, and the cation exchange capacity of the soil on them is demonstrated. Data is presented on the distribution of Azospirillum spp. in soils, on their production of fibrillar material essential for anchoring the cells to soil particles, on the effects of soil irrigation, and of external soil treatments, and on the effect of soil C and C used in bacterial inoculants on the cells. It shows that root exudates possibly govern bacterial motility in the soil. Finally, the effect of pesticide applications, the relationships with other soil microorganisms such as Bdelovibrio spp., Bradyrhizobium spp., and phages, and the potential use of a community-control model of Azospirillum spp. in soil and in the rhizosphere is suggested. Received: 11 November 1998     

Influence of growth-promoting bacteria on the growth of wheat in different soils and temperatures

Plant-growth-promoting bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere, phyllosphere and soil of the root zone in different climatic regions of Germany and Uzbekistan were analysed for plant-growth-promoting effects and nutrient uptake on winter wheat on different soils and under different temperature regimes. The investigations were carried out in pot experiments using loamy sand and sandy loam soils from Müncheberg, Germany and Calcisol soil from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The temperature and soil types were found to influence growth-promoting effects. Inoculation with bacterial strains Pseudomonas fluorescens PsIA12, Pantoea agglomerans 050309 and Mycobacterium sp. 44 isolated from Müncheberg (semi-continental climate) was found to significantly increase the root and shoot growth of winter wheat at 16 °C compared to 26 °C in loamy sand. Mycobacterium phlei MbP18 and Mycoplana bullata MpB46 isolated from Tashkent (semi-arid climate) were found to significantly increase the root and shoot growth of winter wheat in nutrient-poor Calcisol at 38 °C as well as in nutrient-rich loamy sand at 16 °C. Bacterial inoculation also resulted in significantly higher N, P, and K contents of plant components. The bacteria isolates were able to survive in the rhizosphere and in the soil of winter wheat after root and shoot inoculation.     

Response of microbial activity and microbial community composition in soils to long-term arsenic and cadmium exposure

Arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in soils can affect soil microbial function and community composition and, therefore, may have effects on soil ecosystem functioning. The aim of our study was to assess the effects of long-term As and Cd contamination on soil microbial community composition and soil enzyme activities. We analyzed soils that have been contaminated 25 years ago and at present still show enhanced levels of either As, 18 and 39 mg kg⁻¹, or Cd, 34 and 134 mg kg⁻¹. Soil without heavy metal addition served as control. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) showed that bacterial community composition in As and Cd contaminated soils differed from that in the control soil. The same was true for the microbial community composition assessed by analysis of respiratory quinones. Soil fungi and Proteobacteria appeared to be tolerant towards As and Cd, while other groups of bacteria were reduced. The decline in alkaline phosphatase, arylsulphatase, protease and urease activities in the As- and Cd-contaminated soils was correlated with a decrease of respiratory quinones occuring in Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. Xylanase activity was unaffected or elevated in the contaminated soils which was correlated with a higher abundance of fungal quinones, and quinones found in Proteobacteria.     

Bioremedial potential of fenamiphos and chlorpyrifos degrading isolates: Influence of different environmental conditions

Previously isolated bacterial strains for chlorpyrifos and fenamiphos degradation were used to examine their potential as bioremedial agents in soils and water containing pesticide residues. Both, chlorpyrifos-degrading Enterobacter sp and fenamiphos-degrading consortium rapidly degraded pesticides when inoculated into natural and sterile water and soils. Degradation rate was slower in lower pH soils in comparison with natural and alkaline soils. Soil organic matter had no impact on pesticide degrading ability of isolates. Soil moisture <40% of maximum water-holding capacity slowed down degradation rate. The bacterial isolates were able to rapidly degrade fenamiphos and chlorpyrifos between 15 and 35 °C but their degradation ability was sharply reduced at 5 and 50 °C. Both groups of bacterial systems were also able to remove a range of pesticide degradation. An inoculum density of 10⁴ cells g⁻¹ of soil was required for initiating rapid growth and degradation. Ageing of pesticide in soils prior to inoculation produced contrasting results. Ageing of fenamiphos had no impact on subsequent degradation by the inoculated consortium. However, degradation of chlorpyrifos by Enterobacter sp after aging resulted in persistence of ∼10% of pesticide in soil matrix. Higher K_oc value of chlorpyrifos may have resulted in a lack of bioavailability of a smaller percentage of chlorpyrifos to degrading bacteria. Overall, this paper confirms bioremedial potential of a fenamiphos degrading consortium and a chlorpyrifos degrading bacterium under different soil and water characteristics.     

Airborne Endotoxins and Airborne Gram-Negative Bacteria in a Residential Neighborhood

Ambient outdoor concentrations of airborne endotoxins and airborne gram-negative bacteria were measured in a residential area. Further, the species composition of the airborne gram-negative bacterial flora was investigated. The results demonstrated that humans and other mammals are exposed to airborne endotoxins in the outdoor air, but at levels where a development of adverse health effects is unlikely. The total amount of inhalable endotoxins ranged from <3.0 EU/m³ to 27.8 EU/m³. Airborne gram-negative bacteria were detected only at low concentrations (maximum 7.9 cfu/m³). Most gram-negative bacterial isolates belonged to the family Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae. Furthermore, the results of this study suggest that soil and vegetation are potential sources of airborne endotoxins and airborne gram-negative bacteria in the outdoor air of this environment.     

Characterization of nitrifying bacteria communities of soils from different ecological regions of China by molecular and conventional methods

Soil nitrification rate is very different among soil types, as a result of differences in physical and chemical properties. Little is known about the composition of the nitrifying bacteria community. In this investigation, three soils (fluvo-aquic soil, permeable paddy soil and red earth) from different geo-ecological regions in China were characterized for their nitrification activities and their nitrifying bacteria communities determined either by molecular approaches or by conventional culture methods. A 28-day long-term soil incubation showed that the maximum nitrification potential was found in the fluvo-aquic soil with almost 100% of inorganic N present as NO₃^–-N, while the minimum nitrification potential was in red earth with only a 4.9% conversion rate from ammonium into nitrate. There was no relationship between nitrification potential and numbers of nitrifiers in the soil. The conventional most probable number (MPN) method could enumerate ammonia oxidizers, but failed in enumerating nitrite oxidizers. Therefore, we used an MPN-PCR procedure which gave a convincing nitrite oxidizer count result, instead of MPN-diphylamine. Soils were characterized by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of DNA extracted from soils and amplified using a primer specific for the 16S rRNA gene and/or for the amoA gene. The DGGE columns of the three soils differed from each other. There were two similar bands present in DGGE columns of the fluvo-aquic and permeable paddy soils, but no similar band was found in DGGE columns of the red earth. The sequence of amoA indicated that all ammonia oxidizers in these soils were grouped into Nitrosospira clusters 1 and 3, and each soil had a common band similar to the other soils and a special band which differed from the other soils.     

烟草根际土壤中解钾细菌的分离与多样性分析

土壤中含有丰富的钾元素,但主要以缓效态形式存在于钾长石或云母等硅酸盐矿物中,不能被作物直接吸收利用。解钾微生物能溶解硅酸盐矿物中的钾,提高土壤中作物可利用钾的含量,有望缓解我国钾肥短缺的现状。本研究利用选择性培养基,从烟草根际筛选钾细菌,基于16S rDNA序列分析烟草根际土壤解钾细菌的多样性,通过测定解钾细菌的解钾效能及对烟草的促生作用,筛选有应用潜力的优良解钾细菌菌株。结果表明,从四川、湖北和山东烟区烟草根际土壤分离获得的27株解钾细菌,在解钾固体培养上溶钾圈直径为0.11~0.30 cm。16S rDNA序列分析表明,烟草根际土壤解钾细菌主要包括变形菌门γ亚群(Gammaproteobacteria,85.18%)、变形菌门α亚群(Alphaproteobacteria,3.70%)、变形菌门β亚群(Betaproteobacteria,3.70%)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria,3.70%)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes,3.70%),其中克雷伯菌属(Klebsiella)为优势菌属(66.67%)。27个菌株均有一定的解钾能力,解钾活性为0.59~4.40 mg.L–1。参试菌株均对烟草有一定的促生作用,利用解钾细菌菌液处理烟株20 d后,与对照相比,株高增加0.97%~38.64%,最大叶长增加4.40%~31.02%。本研究筛选出的菌株XF11、GM2、JM19和GL7具有较高的解钾活性和促进植物生长的能力,展现了良好的应用潜力。     

The use of phospholipid fatty acid analysis to estimate bacterial and fungal biomass in soil

The cell content of 12 bacterial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) was determined in bacteria extracted from soil by homogenization/centrifugation. The bacteria were enumerated using acridine orange direct counts. An average of 1.40×10^-17 mol bacterial PLFA cell^-1 was found in bacteria extracted from 15 soils covering a wide range of pH and organic matter contents. With this factor, the bacterial biomass based on PLFA analyses of whole soil samples was calculated as 1.0–4.8 mg bacterial C g^-1 soil C. The corresponding range based on microscopical counts was 0.3–3.0 mg bacterial C g^-1 soil C. The recovery of bacteria from the soils using homogenization/centrifugation was 2.6–16% (mean 8.7%) measured by PLFA analysis, and 12–61% (mean 26%) measured as microscopical counts. The soil content of the PLFA 18:26 was correlated with the ergosterol content (r=0.92), which supports the use of this PLFA as an indicator of fungal biomass. The ratio 18:26 to bacterial PLFA is therefore suggested as an index of the fungal:bacterial biomass ratio in soil. An advantage with the method based on PLFA analyses is that the same technique and even the same sample is used to determine both fungi and bacteria. The fungal:bacterial biomass ratio calculated in this way was positively correlated with the organic matter content of the soils (r=0.94).     

Characterization of copper-resistant bacterial community in rhizosphere of highly copper-contaminated soil

The characteristics of copper (Cu)-resistant bacterial communities in a rhizosphere and a non-rhizosphere of the ditch reed, Phragmites, in a highly Cu-contaminated area near a copper mine were investigated. The total Cu concentration was 720 μg·g^–1 in the rhizosphere soil and 5 680 μg·g^–1 in the non-rhizosphere soil. In the rhizosphere, the multiplication of bacteria, particularly non-resistant bacteria, was promoted as compared with the non-rhizosphere. The properties of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere were quite different from those in the non-rhizosphere in terms of Cu sorption ability, growth rate and exopolymer production. Both the Cu-resistant bacteria and non-resistant bacteria in the rhizosphere grew more rapidly in media than those in the non-rhizosphere. For almost all the isolated Cu-resistant bacteria, exopolymer production was prompted by Cu stimuli especially for the isolates from the rhizosphere. The adverse effect of Cu on the growth rate was found to be small for the Cu-resistant bacteria producing exopolymers in a large quantity, suggesting the involvement of exopolymers in the detoxification of Cu. The role of Cu resistance in the bacterial chemotactic migration in the Cu-contaminated soils was not evident.