Algal Bioremediation

Algal Bioremediation of Mine Waste Tailings by Application of Moss Protonema-Dr. Grant G. Mitman

Executive Summary

Moss protonema is one of the best organisms to establish Cyanobacterial biofilm mats which are the ideal system for remediation of mine waste sites. This moss biofilm has the capacity to not only remediate, but also to stabilize tailings blowing from mine sites which cause many human health problems. Many species of moss and algae are extremophiles which have tremendous potential for bioremediation of mine wastes for a number of reasons. First and foremost are the algae, primarily the Cyanobacteria; these organisms have the ability to fix atmospheric N2 to NH3 which is useable nitrogen for most other organisms. Also, Cyanobacteria and moss have the added bonus of being photosynthesizers which leak organic carbon at a rapid rate to feed the entire heterotrophic microbial consortium. As a result of these two processes, once established, microbial mats are self maintaining and do not require nutrient or carbon source amendments. Finally, Cyanobacterial mats and moss are not only resistant to metals and metalloids, but also remove these substances from the environment. This grant proposes specific research goals which are primarily to isolate organisms from mine waste areas which will be useful in the construction of microbial mats for bioremediation and to test these mats in the laboratory. Moreover, Butte is an ideal start-up location for these research activities because of its 100-year tradition of mining. In fact, Butte is at the headwaters of the largest Superfund clean up project in America. Funding of this proposal request may well be a significant opportunity to invest in the future of bioremediation. This proposal requests funds to investigate the potential of these extremophiles, specifically cyanobacterial/moss microbial mats, as an ideal system for the bioremediation of mine wastes which are a significant hazard to human health.

Click here to view the BRIN Presentation Poster (PPT)

Other Links

Berkeley Pit Biodiversity Page

Phycological Society of America

2000 Discover Article, "New Life in a Death Trap: Will algae blooming in an acidic, poisonous Montana mine lead us to an answer for Superfund sites?"
(PDF 439K)

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