biodegradation of radioactive waste

1. Presented by: Vibha

2. Introduction
 Radioactive wastes are usually the waste materials
containing radioactive material. It is the product of a
nuclear process such as nuclear fission.
 Bio remediation/ biodegradation is the process that
uses micro-organisms to return the natural
environment altered by the contaminants.
 Biodegradation done by oxidation, reduction,
chelation immobilization, bioaccumulation etc.

3. MICROBES THAT DECOMPOSES
MERCURY:
 Specific stable isotope of mercury can be degraded by
a mercury resistant marine bacteria Pseudomonas
aeruginosa . By these bacteria the mercury content of
the radioactive wastes can be minimized.

4. MICROBES THAT DECOMPOSES CYANIDE:
 The bacteria's such as Pseudomonas putida,
Pseudomonas paucimobilis, oxidizes the cyanide,
breaking it down into harmless compounds.

5. URANIUM-EATING BACTERIA
 The bacterial species of Geobacter are able to precipitate
radionuclieds like Uranium,Technetium, and many other
heavy metals. This bacteria not only nullifying the toxicity
of Uranium also able to produce electricity from it as they
oxidize Uranium in order to gain energy.
 Microbes convert U(VI) which soluble into insoluble or
less toxic U(IV).
 U(VI) act as electron donor.

6. Advantages
 cost effective
Eliminate transportation process.
Convert hazardous waste to less toxic substance.
Environmental freindly technology
Disadvantage : time consuming process.
Increase number of bacteria but decrease natural
bacteria.