Genetic methods to improve Cr(VI) bioremediation in groundwater

Cr(VI) contamination of groundwater and soils is a primary public health. Bioremediation is an environmental-friendly alternative for Cr(VI) removal from groundwater and soils, but Cr(VI) toxicity limits the efficiency of the process. We use the genome shuffling technique in order to improve Cr(VI) tolerance and Cr(VI) reduction capability of the strict anaerobic bacterium Geobacter metallireducens. We will investigate the mechanism of Cr(VI) reduction in the resulting G. metallireducens mutants through an innovative electrochemical approach. Finally, we will test the best performing mutants in a bench-scale Cr(VI) bioremediation process.