Cell-Associated Adsorption of Thorium or Uranium from Aqueous System Using Various Microorganisms

The cell-associated adsorption of thorium or uranium from the solution containing each metal only at pH 3.50 using various microorganisms was examined. Among the species tested, high thorium adsorption abilities were exhibited by strains of the gram-positive bacteria Arthrobacter nicotianae IAM12342, Bacillus megaterium IAM1166, B. Subtilis IAM1026, Micrococcus luteus IAM1056, Rhodococcus erythropolis IAM1399, and Streptomyces levoris HUT6156. And high uranium adsorption abilities were found in some gram-positive bacterial strains S. albus HUT6047, S. levoris HUT6156, and A. nicotianae IAM12342. Among these highly efficient thorium and uranium adsorbing microorganisms, S. levoris, which could adsorb the largest amount of uranium from the aqueous solution at pH 3.50, could adsorb about 383 mol thorium and 390 mol uranium per gram dry weight of microbial cells from the solution containing thorium or uranium at pH 3.50. The amount and time course of thorium adsorbed were almost unaffected by co-existing uranium; however, the adsorption of thorium was faster when carried out after the adsorption of uranium. Thorium adsorption also became faster when uranium was added after thorium adsorption. The effect of pH on thorium adsorption was also discussed.