For Publishers
DiscoveryMetadataPeer reviewHostingPublishing
For Researchers
JoinPublishReviewCollect
Register
Blog
About
Search
Advanced search
My ScienceOpen
Search
For Publishers
For Researchers
Blog
About
29
views
151
references
 Top references
cited by
123
    
0 reviews
 Review
0
comments
 Comment
0
recommends
+1 Recommend
0 collections
    0
    shares
      220
      similar
       All similar
      • Record: found
      • Abstract: found
      • Article: found
      Is Open Access

      Heavy Metal Pollution from Gold Mines: Environmental Effects and Bacterial Strategies for Resistance

      review-article

      Read this article at

      ScienceOpenPublisherPMC
      Bookmark
          There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

          Abstract

          Mining activities can lead to the generation of large quantities of heavy metal laden wastes which are released in an uncontrolled manner, causing widespread contamination of the ecosystem. Though some heavy metals classified as essential are important for normal life physiological processes, higher concentrations above stipulated levels have deleterious effects on human health and biota. Bacteria able to withstand high concentrations of these heavy metals are found in the environment as a result of various inherent biochemical, physiological, and/or genetic mechanisms. These mechanisms can serve as potential tools for bioremediation of heavy metal polluted sites. This review focuses on the effects of heavy metal wastes generated from gold mining activities on the environment and the various mechanisms used by bacteria to counteract the effect of these heavy metals in their immediate environment.

          Related collections

          Most cited references151

          • Record: found
          • Abstract: found
          • Article: not found

          Microbial heavy-metal resistance.

          D. Nies (1999)
          We are just beginning to understand the metabolism of heavy metals and to use their metabolic functions in biotechnology, although heavy metals comprise the major part of the elements in the periodic table. Because they can form complex compounds, some heavy metal ions are essential trace elements, but, essential or not, most heavy metals are toxic at higher concentrations. This review describes the workings of known metal-resistance systems in microorganisms. After an account of the basic principles of homoeostasis for all heavy-metal ions, the transport of the 17 most important (heavy metal) elements is compared.
          Article 0 comments Cited 421 times – based on 0 reviews     Review now
            Bookmark
            • Record: found
            • Abstract: found
            • Article: found

            Metals, minerals and microbes: geomicrobiology and bioremediation.

            G M Gadd (2010)
            Microbes play key geoactive roles in the biosphere, particularly in the areas of element biotransformations and biogeochemical cycling, metal and mineral transformations, decomposition, bioweathering, and soil and sediment formation. All kinds of microbes, including prokaryotes and eukaryotes and their symbiotic associations with each other and 'higher organisms', can contribute actively to geological phenomena, and central to many such geomicrobial processes are transformations of metals and minerals. Microbes have a variety of properties that can effect changes in metal speciation, toxicity and mobility, as well as mineral formation or mineral dissolution or deterioration. Such mechanisms are important components of natural biogeochemical cycles for metals as well as associated elements in biomass, soil, rocks and minerals, e.g. sulfur and phosphorus, and metalloids, actinides and metal radionuclides. Apart from being important in natural biosphere processes, metal and mineral transformations can have beneficial or detrimental consequences in a human context. Bioremediation is the application of biological systems to the clean-up of organic and inorganic pollution, with bacteria and fungi being the most important organisms for reclamation, immobilization or detoxification of metallic and radionuclide pollutants. Some biominerals or metallic elements deposited by microbes have catalytic and other properties in nanoparticle, crystalline or colloidal forms, and these are relevant to the development of novel biomaterials for technological and antimicrobial purposes. On the negative side, metal and mineral transformations by microbes may result in spoilage and destruction of natural and synthetic materials, rock and mineral-based building materials (e.g. concrete), acid mine drainage and associated metal pollution, biocorrosion of metals, alloys and related substances, and adverse effects on radionuclide speciation, mobility and containment, all with immense social and economic consequences. The ubiquity and importance of microbes in biosphere processes make geomicrobiology one of the most important concepts within microbiology, and one requiring an interdisciplinary approach to define environmental and applied significance and underpin exploitation in biotechnology.
            Article 0 comments Cited 373 times – based on 0 reviews     Review now
              Bookmark
              • Record: found
              • Abstract: found
              • Article: found
              Is Open Access

              Heavy metals and living systems: An overview

              Reena Singh, Neetu Gautam, Anurag Mishra … (2011)
              Heavy metals are natural constituents of the earth's crust, but indiscriminate human activities have drastically altered their geochemical cycles and biochemical balance. This results in accumulation of metals in plant parts having secondary metabolites, which is responsible for a particular pharmacological activity. Prolonged exposure to heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc can cause deleterious health effects in humans. Molecular understanding of plant metal accumulation has numerous biotechnological implications also, the long term effects of which might not be yet known.
              Article 0 comments Cited 255 times – based on 0 reviews     Review now
                Bookmark
                All references

                Author and article information

                Contributors
                Yu-Pin Lin: Role: Academic Editor
                Journal
                Journal ID (nlm-ta): Int J Environ Res Public Health
                Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Int J Environ Res Public Health
                Journal ID (publisher-id): ijerph
                Title: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
                Publisher: MDPI
                ISSN (Print): 1661-7827
                ISSN (Electronic): 1660-4601
                Publication date (Electronic): 26 October 2016
                Publication date (Print): November 2016
                Volume: 13
                Issue: 11
                Electronic Location Identifier: 1047
                Affiliations
                [1 ]Food Security and Safety Niche Area, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa; 24804460@ 123456nwu.ac.za (M.O.F.); olubukola.babalola@ 123456nwu.ac.za (O.O.B.)
                [2 ]Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, UNISA, Florida, Private Bag X6 Florida, Roodepoort 1710, South Africa; vm.ngole@ 123456gmail.com
                Author notes
                [* ]Correspondence: olubukola.babalola@ 123456nwu.ac.za ; Tel.: +27-183-892-568
                Article
                Publisher ID: ijerph-13-01047
                DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13111047
                PMC ID: 5129257
                PubMed ID: 27792205
                SO-VID: 85ad42f5-140b-499a-9c90-11acb4f38f20
                Copyright © © 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
                License:

                This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

                History
                Date received : 16 May 2016
                Date accepted : 14 October 2016
                Categories
                Subject: Review

                ScienceOpen disciplines: Public health
                Keywords: bioremediation,environmental pollution,metal toxicity,mine wastes
                Data availability:
                ScienceOpen disciplines: Public health
                Keywords: bioremediation, environmental pollution, metal toxicity, mine wastes

                Comments

                Comment on this article

                scite_

                Similar content220

                See all similar

                Cited by115

                See all cited by