This book provides a detailed description and analysis of the reduction and metabolism of metals and metalloids by sulfate reducing bacteria. The molecular mechanisms of bacterial resistance to copper are examined as well as extracellular electron transfer and bacterial metal oxide respiration. Furthermore, in this book enrichment, isolation, and physiology of magnetotactic bacteria are discussed. The interactions of bacteria with metals in natural environments and their role in metal cycling have been studied for decades. Advances in studies of bacteria-metal interactions identified numerous important aspects of these interactions, such as bioremediation of metal-contaminated environments, the role of metals in redox reactions and other cellular functions, as well as the role of metals in toxicity and infection. Microbiologists, environmental scientists, and students interested in microbe interactions with metals and their effect on the environment and their application in biotechnology will be interested in the topics discussed in the book.

Around the World, metal pollution is a major problem. Conventional practices of toxic metal removal can be ineffective and/or expensive, delaying and exacerbating the crisis. Those communities dealing with contamination must be aware of the fundamentals advances of microbe-mediated metal removal practices because these methods can be easily used and require less remedial intervention. This book describes innovations and efficient applications for metal bioremediation for environments polluted by metal contaminates.

Proceedings of an April 1988 symposium (location unspecified, probably some where in the UK). British and American contributors discuss the toxic and beneficial effects of metals on microorganisms and the transformations of metals and metal compounds catalyzed by microorganisms. Cloth edition (unseen), $85.00. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Although many metal ions are essential as trace elements, they become toxic at concentrations higher than the threshold levels. In contrast to other pollutants, heavy metals cannot be chemically or biologically degraded and are ultimately indestructible; hence they cannot be removed easily from the environment. In metal stressed environment, bacteria have developed substantial resistance to metals. In addition to metal resistance, such bacteria have also been reported to exhibit substantial antibiotic resistance. The present book covers the various resistance mechanisms adopted by bacteria in metal polluted sites against metals as well as antibiotics with current and updated information. Recent advances in their resistance mechanisms are presented in depth explicitly.

The research in metal-microbe interactions is reviewed, for researchers and engineers.

A comprehensive treatment of the interactions of metals with bacteria, a subject of interest in medicine, toxicology, extraction of metals, mineral cycling and microbiology, is provided in this book. It outlines the diversity of these interactions, their importance to bacteria and humans, and the global scale of the reaction products. Topics include the use of microbes to immobilize toxic heavy metals, natural biological metal chelators, metalloenzymes, heavy metal resistance mechanisms, biomineralization, the influence of metals on bacterial virulence, and the impact of the biosphere of mineral production and cycling. The text will be of benefit to academic and industrial microbiologists, researchers in mining and metal industries, environmentalists, geologists, toxicologists and biogeochemists.