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Title: METALS: MICROBIAL PROCESSES AFFECTING METALS

Author
item CROWLEY, DAVID - UC RIVERSIDE, CA
item Dungan, Robert - Rob

Submitted to: Encyclopedia of Environmental Microbiology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/25/2002
Publication Date: 11/1/2002
Citation: Crowley, D.E., Dungan, R.S. 2002. Metals: microbial processes affecting metals. Encyclopedia of Environmental Microbiology. Wiley and Sons, Inc. New York, NY. Vol 4. pp. 1878-1893.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The accumulation of metals in the environment due to anthropogenic activities has led to concern over the long-term fate of metal contaminants and the impact of metal accumulation on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In nature, microorganisms carry out many different processes that influence the bioavailability of metals to other living organisms, and that affect their partitioning into organic and inorganic substances. Very often microbial transformations of metals are fortuitous reactions that occur as a result of microbial processes that change the physical and chemical conditions in the environment. Microbial processes are fundamental not only for understanding of the biogeochemistry of metals, but also for development of bioremediation technology and for predicting the potential toxicity of heavy metals to higher organisms in different environmental systems.