Biological Treatment of Metallic Pollutants

Abstract

This chapter addresses the use of biological technologies for the treatment of hazardous metals and radionuclides released into subsurface media — soils and sediments. The subsurface is defined here as occurring at least 30 cm from the surface, and includes the vadose and saturated zones. The H2O solubility of metals is considered critical to their human and environmental hazard assessment. Water is considered to be present in arid, humid, and hydric environments. Water exists either as a fluid filling all pores within sediments or saturated soils; as a vapor in the unsaturated zone; or as films on particle surfaces and within the interstices of all natural media. The latter kind of water includes “intrinsic” moisture, which is almost impossible to remove. The following text will consider the (bio)chemistry that occurs within or adjacent to H2O in all its forms.