Article Details

Earthworms and Microorganisms Interacting in the Detoxification of Metal Contaminants: A Study | Original Article

Harbir Sharma*, Asgar Singh, in Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education | Multidisciplinary Academic Research

ABSTRACT:

Through direct intake or contact with contaminated sites, the food chain, drinking contaminated ground water, a reduction in food quality due to phyto-toxicity, and a lack of land suitable for agriculture, heavy metal contamination poses serious risks to humans and ecosystems. This leads to food insecurity. Therefore, every living cell must generally be resistant to heavy metals. We can now exploit the potential of biological diversity to clean up pollution, a process known as bioremediation, thanks to advancements in science and technology. The following study's main goal is to evaluate how endogenic earthworm Pontoscolexcorethrurus and its gut microbiota interact with heavy metal absorption from contaminated soil samples.The following study uses a variety of materials and techniques, including the collection of plant material, the isolation of bacteria from earthworm guts, the analysis of the concentration of heavy metals in soil samples using atomic absorption spectroscopy, as well as their characterization and amplifying metal resistant genes.The findings of the Gram staining test were used to categorize bacteria as Gram negative bacilli, Gram positive cocci, or Gram positive bacilli. Delftia and S. aureus bacteria were then cultured under cadmium stress to see if their growth patterns underwent any notable changes.The observed changes in the bacterial communities of the earthworms may therefore be used as a warning sign of potential soil pollution, it is hereby concluded. Bacillus cereus and Delftia sp. can be used to remediate soil that has been contaminated with various heavy metals because they can withstand higher concentrations of heavy metal.