WAYS OF METAL RECOVERY FROM WASTE BY BACTERIA

The aim of this work is to provide an overview of bioprocesses that can be used for the remediation of metalcontaminated areas via interactions between bacteria and metal ions and to summarize the mechanisms taking place in wastewater and metal-containing wastes treatment. In summary, surface adsorption and conversion, intracellular absorption and conversion, formation of insoluble precipitates and complexes are dominant mechanisms of metal removal. From a biochemical point of view, various mechanisms may be responsible for the way of individual biological processes, which may partially overlap in several processes, but differ in their final product. Extracelular precipitation, as well as biogenic sorbents utilization, can be well applied.