Kazuhiro Takamizawa

Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Gifu University
(1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-11 Japan)

Abstract

It is widely believed that microorganisms are commonly existing in waste disposal sites and have an important role for stabilizing many kinds of wastes. Nevertheless, little information exists on distribution and action of microorganisms in the sites, so that elucidation of decomposition or stabilizing mechanisms of wastes has been delayed. The author considers that a waste disposal site is a huge bioreactor and tries to clarify the role of sulfate-reducing bacteria in insolubilization of heavy metals in the sites. As a result, it becomes evident that sulfate-reducing bacteria are commonly distributed in the sites, and insolubilized heavy metal ions into sulfur compounds from EDX analysis.

Key words: waste disposal site, heavy metal, sulfate-reducing bacteria