Isolation and Characterization of a Heavy Metal Resistant Bacterial Strains for Biological Treatment of Lead and Zinc Contaminated Water

Heavy metal pollution has emerged as a critical global environmental issue due to its persistence, toxicity, and ability to bio accumulate in living organisms. Industrial activities, mining, waste discharge, agricultural inputs, and atmospheric deposition contribute significantly to the rising concentrations of metals such as cadmium, lead, copper, chromium, and nickel in soil, water, and air. Elevated levels of these metals disrupt essential biological processes in microorganisms, plants, aquatic organisms, and humans. In the present study five different bacteria were isolated from heavy metal polluted soil sample. The isolates were subjected for morphological and biochemical characterization. The bacterial isolates were screened for studying their resistance towards selected heavy metals by agar diffusion test. The heavy metals used for the study were Mercuric chloride, Lead, Cadmium, Zinc, and Copper at the concentrating of 50mMand 100mM. The strain SNGCV1 showed resistance against the tested heavy metals Lead and Zinc. The bacterial strain SNGC V1 was used for the treatment of metal polluted water sample. The organism was able to reduce the concentration of the metals lead and Zinc in the water sample. The organism may be used as key agents in sustainable remediation of heavy metals.