Uranium Eating Bacteria Help Cold War Cleanup

Shipud writes "Scientists from UMA have used metal-metablozing bacteria, Geobacter, to "eat" uranium. The uranium is converted from a soluble form to an insoluble one, thus preventing water contamination. Cold-war era uranium processing has left many contaminated sites in the US, and worldwide. Details are here."

Comments

Radioactivity vs. Toxicity

[Henry V .009]

I notice this is mainly talking about the toxicity of uranium. This makes me think that depleted uranium from munitions might be a main target for cleanup. It is a heavy metal and all, but I wonder how dangerous it really is once you get past all the media crackpottery on the subject.

Re:Radioactivity vs. Toxicity

[KnightNavro]

You're probably correct; the bugs are there to get rid of U because it's toxic. I did my senior design project on U removal from drinking water. The stuff poses a much greater threat as a heavy metal than as a radioactive atom when injected. The microbes wouldn't do anything to the atomic structure of the atoms, and hence do nothing to reduce radiation, but making it insoluble removes it from drinking water and makes it less mobile.

Of course, I said pretty much the same thing when the story was run two months ago.

Re:Excellent

[KDan]

Solubility is the major concern. The fact that they are radioactive is irrelevant when they're stuck in those bunkers deep underground. The problem is when they dissolve slowly into the underground lakes and such, which currently happens no matter where they're stored. That the bacteria make the Uranium insoluble is a major breakthrough.

Daniel