This document summarizes a seminar presentation on bioremediation of radioactive waste. It discusses how bacteria, plants, and fungi can be used to catalyze reactions that decontaminate sites affected by radionuclides. It provides examples of bacterial bioremediation through bioreduction, biosorption, and biostimulation. It also discusses plant bioremediation through phytoremediation and fungal bioremediation using the fungus Rhizopus oryzae. The advantages of bioremediation include protecting public health while minimizing worker exposure and transportation costs.

2. SEMINAR
Bioremediation of
Radioactive Waste
Presented to:
Dr.Rasheed Ahmad Khera
Dr.Muhammad Asif Hanif
Presented by:
Kainat(2018-ag-4575)
Supervisor:
Dr.Ijaz Ahmad Bhatti

3. Contents
Introduction
Causes and Harms of radioactive
waste
Bacterial Bioremediation
Plant Bioremediation
Fungal Bioremediation
Advantages of Bioremediation
Conclusions
References

4. INTRODUCTION
Bioremediation of radioactive waste or bioremediation of
radionuclides is an application of bioremediation based on the
use of biological agents bacteria, plants and fungi (natural or
genetically modified) to catalyze chemical reactions that allow
the decontamination of sites affected by radionuclides.
The techniques of bioremediation of environmental areas as
soil, water and sediments contaminated by radionuclides are
diverse and currently being set up as an ecological and
economic alternative to traditional procedures.

5. Chernobyl Nuclear plant

6. Deformity of hand due
to X-Ray burn

7. MECHANISM OF
BIOREMEDIATION
Bacterial
bioremediation
Plant
bioremediation
Fungal
bioremediation
Bacterial Remediation Summary

8. BACTERIAL
BIOREMEDIATION
Bioreduction is the biochemical
transformation of radionuclides into stable
isotopes by bacterial species.
The radionuclides in contaminated area are
reduced and are converted into insoluble
form.
Ways of Bioreduction
Direct Enzymatic Reduction
Indirect Enzymatic Reduction
Direct and Indirect Enzymatic Reduction

9. Biosorption is the sequestration of positively
charged metal ions to the negatively charged cell
membranes and polysaccharides secreted on the
outer surfaces of bacteria through slime and
capsule formation.
Biostimulation is the addition of nutrients with
trace elements, electron donors or electron
acceptors to stimulate activity and growth of
natural indigenous microbial communities.
Biomineralization(Bioprecipitation) is the
precipitation of radionuclides through the
generation of microbial ligands, resulting in the
formation of stable biogenic minerals.
Microbial Bioremediation Processes

10. Genetic engineering (GE) have been
employed to generate character‐specific
microorganisms for efficient removal of metal by
sorption. The microorganism Deinococcus
radiodurans has been studied to detoxify Cr(VI),
U(VI) and Tc(VII) from soil.
Omics, especially genomics and proteomics,
allow identifying and evaluating genes, proteins
and enzymes involved in radionuclide
bioremediation, apart from the structural and
functional interactions that exist between them
and other metabolites
Deinococcus Radionuclides

11. PLANT BIOREMEDIATION
Phytoremediation is a novel resolution that
effectively and inexpensively extracts out the
contaminants from the site and scrubs up the
wasteland. Phytoremediation makes use of green
plants to clean up and treat radioactive contaminated
sites for example soil, water and sediments.
 Phytoremediation Processes
Phyto extraction
Phytostabilization
Phytovolatilization
Rhizofilteration
Phytoremediation processes

12. FUNGAL
BIOREMEDIATION
Fungi feature among nature’s most
vigorous agents for the decomposition
of waste matter and are an essential
component of the soil food web.
León -Santiesteban et al. (2016))
reported that a fungal strain Rhizopus
oryzae has the potential for biosorption
of pentachlorophenol through
methylation and dechlorination.
Rhizopus oryzae

13. ADVANTAGES
• Minimal exposure on site workers to the
contaminant.
• Long term protection of public health.
• The cheapest of all methods of pollutant
removal.
• The process can be done on site with a
minimum amount of space and equipment.
• Eliminates the need to transport of
hazardous material.

14. CONCLUSION
Bioremediation, the process whereby natural degradation
rates are accelerated through stimulation of indigenous
microorganisms is an effective ecologically and
economically effective reclamation alternative.
Although bioremediation may not completely detoxify
inorganic pollutants, yet it can alter the oxidation state,
aiding in adsorption, uptake, accumulation and
concentration in microorganisms.

15. REFERENCES
1. Ahier, B.A., andTracy, B.L. (1995) RadionuclidesintheGreat Lakes basin. Environ Health
Perspect 103 (Suppl. 9): 89–101.
2. Alliot, I., Alliot, C., Vitorge, P., and Fattahi, M. (2009) Speciation of technetium(IV) in
bicarbonate media. Environ Sci Technol 43: 9174–9182. Al-Zoughool, M., and Krewski, D. (2009)
Health effects of radon: areviewoftheliterature. IntJRadiatBiol85:57–69.
3. Amachi, S., Minami, K., Miyasaka, I., and Fukunaga, S. (2010) Ability of anaerobic
microorganisms to associate with iodine: 125I tracer experiments using laboratory strains and
enriched microbial communities from subsurface formation water. Chemosphere 79: 349–354.
4. Appukuttan, D., Rao, A.S., andApte, S.K. (2006) Engineering of Deinococcus radiodurans R1
for bioprecipitation of uranium from dilute nuclear waste.
5. Appl Environ Microbial 72: 7873–7878. Bae, W., Chen, W., Mulchandani, A., and Mehra,
R.K. (2000) Enhanced bioaccumulation of heavy metals by bacterial cells displaying synthetic
phytochelatins.