Conjugate Magnetic Nanoparticles and Microbial Remediation, a Genuine Technology to Remediate Radioactive Waste

Radioactive waste generated through multiple sources during past few decades have contaminated the groundwater and soil reservoirs of the planet on a large scale. Due to high economic and ecologic demands of the current methods to treat such wastes, there is much interest in cost effective, fast and environmentally sustainable technologies for radionuclide treatment. One of such methods employs use of conjugate magnetic particles, which not only decontaminate the wastewater but also yield back actinides to be reused. It has been observed that chelators used in the conjugate MNPs show different stability under different conditions so, this technique faces challenges in wide range of application. Another ecological responsible approach is the use of microbes to reduce radioactive load in diverse environments. This chapter analyses the diverse microbial populations and considers various forms of microbial remediation including bio stimulation, biosorption, enzymatic reduction and non-enzymatic enzymatic reduction of radionuclides. Recombinant strains of Deinococcus radiodurans, Escherichia coli and Kineococcus radiotolerans proved to be radiation-resistant and beneficial in bioremediation of uranium, mercury, chromium and technetium. Various factors including temperature, PH, natural microflora at site and soil porosity, limit the process of microbial remediation depending upon the site at which the process is being carried out. This chapter will help to understand overall analysis of the remediation techniques that are necessary to be employed for safe environment.