Biological uranium reduction was investigated using bacteria isolated from a uranium mine in Limpopo, South Africa. Background uranium concentration in soil from the mine was determined to be 168 mg kg -1 much higher than the typical background uranium concentration in natural soils (0.30-11.7 mg kg -1 ). Therefore it was expected that the bacteria isolated from the site were resistant to U(VI) toxicity.Preliminary studies using a non-purified consortium from the mine soil showed that

Biological uranium removal was investigated using bacteria sourced from a uranium mine in Limpopo, South Africa. Background uranium concentration in the soil from the mine was determined to be 168.1 mg/kg using the ICP-OES calibrated against the uranium atomic absorption standard solution. Thus the bacteria isolated from the site were expected to be resistant to uranium-6 [U(VI)] toxicity. Preliminary studies suggest that uranium reduction occurs under anaerobic conditions in most cases. U(VI) reduction by obligate aerobes isolated from the soil consortium was poor. The pure cultures mentioned above showed a high reduction rate at pH 5 to 6. The initial U(VI) reduction rate determined at the 50% point was highest in the Pseudomonas sp.

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