Bioremediation of a soil contaminated with radioactive elements

Groudev, SN; Georgiev, PS; Spasova, II; Komnitsas, K

dc.contributor.author	Groudev, SN	en
dc.contributor.author	Georgiev, PS	en
dc.contributor.author	Spasova, II	en
dc.contributor.author	Komnitsas, K	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:16:11Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:16:11Z
dc.date.issued	2001	en
dc.identifier.issn	0304-386X	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/13970
dc.subject	bioremediation	en
dc.subject	soil	en
dc.subject	radioactive elements	en
dc.subject.classification	Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering	en
dc.subject.other	Bioremediation	en
dc.subject.other	Contamination	en
dc.subject.other	Radium	en
dc.subject.other	Thorium	en
dc.subject.other	Uranium	en
dc.subject.other	Polymetallic ores	en
dc.subject.other	Soil pollution control	en
dc.title	Bioremediation of a soil contaminated with radioactive elements	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1016/S0304-386X(00)00187-0	en
heal.identifier.secondary	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0304-386X(00)00187-0	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	2001	en
heal.abstract	Some agricultural lands located in the Vromos Bay area, near the Black Sea coast, Southeastern Bulgaria, have been contaminated with radioactive elements (uranium, radium and thorium) and toxic heavy metals (copper, cadmium and lead) as a result of mining and mineral processing of polymetallic ores. Laboratory experiments carried out with soil samples from these lands revealed that an efficient remediation of the soils was achieved by an in situ treatment method based on the activity of the indigenous soil microflora. The treatment was connected with the dissolution of the contaminants in the upper soil horizons and their transfer into the deeply located soil horizons (mainly to the horizon B-2) where they were immobilized as different insoluble compounds. The dissolution of contaminants was connected with the activity of both heterotrophic and chemolithotrophic aerobic microorganisms and the immobilization was due mainly to the anaerobic sulphate-reducing bacteria. The activity of these microorganisms was enhanced by suitable changes in the levels of some essential environmental factors such as water, oxygen and nutrient contents in the soil. On the basis of the above-mentioned laboratory results, the method was then applied under real field conditions in a heavily contaminated experimental plot of land located in the Vromos Bay area. Within 8 months of treatment, the contents of radioactive elements and toxic heavy metals in the soil were decreased below the relevant permissible levels. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.	en
heal.publisher	Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands	en
heal.journalName	Hydrometallurgy	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/S0304-386X(00)00187-0	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:000166516200019	en
dc.identifier.volume	59	en
dc.identifier.issue	2-3	en
dc.identifier.spage	311	en
dc.identifier.epage	318	en