Bioleaching of heavy metals from dewatered sludge by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

The feasibility of bioleaching for removal of heavy metals from dewatered sewage sludge using an iron‐oxidizing bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was investigated. The influence of seven process parameters including cell adaptation, total amount and particle size of the sludge, initial concentrations of Fe²⁺ and At ferrooxidans, and addition of inorganic nutrients and sulfur were evaluated in terms of the solubilization of Zn, Cu and Cr. When sludge‐adapted cells, addition of inorganic nutrients and lower sludge content were involved, higher yields of metal extraction were obtained. However, higher initial concentrations of At ferrooxidans and Fe²⁺, fine particle size of the sludge and S addition did not improve the metals' solubilization during an experimental period of 7 days. As a result of a long‐term (40 days) bioleaching experiment, 42% of Zn (1300–1648 mg kg^?1), 39% of Cu (613–774 mg kg^?1) and 10% of Cr (37–44 mg kg^?1) in the sludge were leached into the solution. The results indicate that a bioleaching process conducted under operationally optimal conditions can be effectively employed for the removal of heavy metals from sewage sludge before land application. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Uptake and allocation of plant nutrients and Cd in maize,sunflower and tobacco growing on contaminated soil and the effect of soil conditioners under field conditions

Contaminated land may in many cases still be used for agriculture, provided that crops are chosen appropriately, as the accumulation of contaminants varies greatly among cultivars and also plant parts. We aimed to determine whether maize (Zea mays), sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum) grown on a heavy-metal contaminated soil containing copper (540 mg Cu kg⁻¹), zinc (680 mg Zn kg⁻¹) and cadmium (1.4 mg Cd kg⁻¹) could be used to gradually remediate the soil, while producing valuable biomass. The soil was treated with either a normal fertiliser regime (control), elemental sulphur (S), or the biodegradable chelant NTA (nitrilotriacetic acid), to test how soil acidification or chelating organic compounds would affect the uptake and allocation of selected elements (Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P, S and Zn). The highest concentrations of Cd, Cu and Zn occurred in the leaves and/or roots, while seeds and grains contained much lower concentrations of these elements. All these concentrations, however, were still in the ranges considered normal for the respective plant parts grown on uncontaminated soil. While sunflower and maize could be safely used as food and feed, tobacco would better be used for bioenergy than for cigarette production because of its relatively high foliar Cd concentration. The two treatments (S and NTA) had only slight effects on the uptake and allocation of plant nutrients and Cd. Thus, there was little benefit of these treatments for phytoextraction purposes at this site.     

Biosorption behaviour of alginate-immobilized Trichoderma asperellum,a common microfungi in single- and multi-metal systems

Alginate-immobilized Trichoderma asperellum were superior in adsorbing metals in single-metal systems compared to multi-metal systems. Higher amounts of Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) were adsorbed in single-metal systems with 72.00, 20.61 and 51.77 mg metal removed g^?1 biosorbent, respectively, compared to multi-metal systems. On the contrary, only Pb(II) (112.70 mg g^?1 biosorbent) was removed more efficiently in multi-metal systems. Both biosorbents showed similar biosorption behaviour, with higher uptakes of Zn(II) < Cd(II) < Cu(II) < Pb(II) in both single- and multi-metal systems. This was attributed to the carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups on the surface of alginate.     

Agaricus macrosporus as a potential bioremediation agent for substrates contaminated with heavy metals

This study investigated the potential use of the mushroom Agaricus macrosporus for bioextraction of heavy metals from contaminated substrates. Mushrooms were grown (1) in a non‐contaminated control substrate, (2) in a substrate with added Cd (10 mg per kg dw), and (3) in a multi‐contaminated substrate (Cd, Hg and Pb each at 10 mg kg^?1; Cu and Zn each at 20 mg kg^?1). Metal contents were determined in fruiting bodies by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). In the control substrate, three production waves (‘breaks’) were obtained, compared with only two in the contaminated substrates; however, total biomass in the Cd‐contaminated substrate was similar to that in the control substrate, and only 40% lower (ie still considerable) in the Hg‐containing multi‐contaminated substrate. Within each break, metal contents were higher in young than in adult individuals. Metal contents were also higher in the hymenophore than in other parts of the fruiting body. The metal content data indicate that A macrosporus effectively extracted Cd, Hg and Cu (though not Pb) from the contaminated substrates. Of particular interest is the tolerance and extraction of Hg, in contrast with plants. These results suggest that fungi such as A macrosporus may be effective for bioremediation of metal‐contaminated substrates, though bearing in mind that in many contaminated environments cultivation of mushrooms of this type may be difficult. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons,Heavy Metals,and Genotoxicity of the Suburban Soils from Guangzhou,China

During the past few decades, urban and suburban developments have grown at unprecedented rates and extents with unknown consequences for ecosystem function. The problem of soil pollution as a result of the accelerating development of Guangzhou in China is becoming great concerns. In the present study, gas chromatograph coupled mass spectrometry (GC-MS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) were employed to determine the 16 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the heavy metals (As, Cr, Cu, Pb, Cd, Hg, and Se) of soils collected from suburban areas of Guangzhou. The genotoxicity of these soils was screened with micronucleus (MN) assay in Vicia faba root cells. The concentrations of the pollutants in the soils were (dried weight): ΣPAHs (230.6–1263 ng·g^?1), As (2282.6–36064 μg·kg^?1), Cr (7109–64699 μg·kg^?1), Cu (7047–56388 μg·kg^?1), Pb (9675.9–93739 μg·kg^?1), Cd (68.5–847.3 μg·kg^?1), Hg (85.4–549.2 μg·kg^?1), and Se (219.2–968 μg·kg^?1), which fell in the moderately polluted range. However, six out of nine soil-exposed groups had a significant increases of MN frequencies observed in the V. faba root cells compared with the negative group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), indicating that they had potential genotoxic risks. Bringing together the chemical analyses with the biological effects observed in this study, the genotoxic response could at a certain degree be explained by both the soil PAHs and heavy metals. Our results suggested that apart from chemical analysis, bioassays like the MN assay of V. faba root cells should also be included in a battery of tests to assess the eco-environmental risks of urban and/or urbanization in the developing areas on the soils.     

Feasibility studies on in‐situ biological treatment of drilling muds at an abandoned site in Sicily

The ongoing production and bioaccumulation of drilling fluids and muds has resulted in an increased concern for reducing the environmental impact of contaminated sites. The use of bioremediation as a treatment option is an important focus of research. Objectives of this study were: (i) to assess initial toxicity of drilling mud from an agricultural setting in Galliano, Sicily (Italy) and (ii) to develop a low intervention bioremediation approach to ensure that US and international soil/ground water quality standards have been met. Total petroleum hydrocarbon content of the drilling mud was reduced to 617.0 ± 176.0, 446.0 ± 195.0, and 533.0 ± 138.0 mg kg^?1, respectively, from 5000.0 ± 530.0 mg kg^?1 after treatment via conventional ex‐situ soil slurry reactor mixing (84.2–95% reduction). Using an in‐situ approach with bioreactors placed vertically into the zone of contamination, hydrocarbon concentrations went from 217.12 ± 43.38 and 149.68 ± 45.51 mg kg^?1 to 15.16 ± 3.35 and 34.27 ± 15.86 mg kg^?1 for control test beds (85.1 ± 11.2% reduction), and from 89.20 ± 67.42, 141.71 ± 64.80, and 197.87 ± 77.38 mg kg^?1 to 5.24 ± 6.15, 15.02 ± 10.20, and 9.65 ± 9.37 mg kg^?1 for experimental test beds (92.9 ± 3.0% reduction), respectively. Cadmium (Cd) and Selenium (Se) had exceeded Italian and state soil leachability standards (0.005 mg dm^?3 Cd) and (0.010, 0.050 mg dm^?3 Se), at the conclusion of the study. In‐situ treatment of drilling mud provided a framework for monitoring the fate of organic and residual metals toxicity in soils. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Biosorption of heavy metals from aqueous solution using modified activated carbon: comparison of linear and nonlinear methods

BACKGROUND: Biosorption of heavy metals from aqueous solution by modified activated carbon with Phanerochaete chrysosporium immobilised in Ca‐alginate beads was investigated using a batch system and comparison of linear and nonlinear methods. RESULTS: The amount of Cu(II), Zn(II) and Pb(II) ion sorption by the beads was as follows: activated carbon with P. chrysosporium immobilised in Ca‐alginate beads (ACFCA) (193.4, 181.8, 136.6 mg g^?1) > activated carbon immobilised in Ca‐alginate beads (ACCA) (174.8, 162.0, 130.7 mg g^?1) > P. chrysosporium (F) (148.8, 125.6, 120.4 mg g^?1) > activated carbon (AC) (138.8, 112.3, 109.3 mg g^?1) > plain Ca‐alginate beads (PCA) (125.4, 105.2, 98.2 mg g^?1). The widely used Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were utilised to describe the biosorption equilibrium process. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the immobilisation of modified activated carbon with P. chrysosporium in Ca‐alginate beads is suitable for a batch system. The isotherm parameters were estimated using linear and nonlinear regression analyses. The surface charge density of the biosorbents varied with the pH of the medium; the maximum biosorption of heavy metal ions on the biosorbents was obtained when the pH was between 5.6 and 7.4. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of salinity on lead and cadmium accumulation by the salt cedar (Tamarix smyrnensis Bunge)

BACKGROUND: The removal of heavy metals from polluted soils through the use of suitable plants has attracted much interest over recent decades. In this study Tamarix smyrnensis Bunge has been investigated for the characterization of its metal tolerance and ability to accumulate Pb and Cd, in order to evaluate its effectiveness as a cleanup tool for phytoextraction applications. For this purpose, two hydroponic experiments were performed, one with lead at concentration 100 ppm and a second with cadmium at concentration 5 ppm and at three different salt concentrations (0, 100, 200 mmol L^?1 NaCl). RESULTS: The experimental results showed that Pb and Cd accumulation in shoots ranged from 150–270 ppm and 7.5–42 ppm, respectively, and salinity was found to increase metal accumulation in shoots. However, the presence of high metal and salt concentrations affected negatively the health and finally the survival of the plants. CONCLUSION: T. smyrnensis is neither a Pb nor a Cd hyperaccumulator; however, metal accumulation levels in shoots considered together with its high biomass production suggest that it could be used for phytoextraction applications. Furthermore, salinity has a positive influence on Pb and Cd accumulation in harvestable parts of the plant when it remains in low concentrations. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Contents of Carotenoids, Tocopherols and Sterols in Acacia cyanophylla Seed Oils

Seeds from 12 Acacia cyanophylla ecotypes, harvested in Tunisia, were examined for their seed oil contents of carotenoids, tocopherols and phytosterols. The average carotenoid content (lutein and zeaxanthin) was ca. 102 mg kg^?1 of total extracted lipids. Lutein (ca. 97 mg kg^?1 of total extracted lipids) was usually more abundant than zeaxanthin (ca. 5 mg kg^?1 of total extracted lipids). The mean total tocopherol content was ca. 704 mg kg^?1 of total extracted lipids. The main isomer was α‐tocopherol, with more than 75 % of total tocopherols (ca. 528 mg kg^?1 of total extracted lipids), followed by γ‐tocopherol (ca. 168 mg kg^?1 of total extracted lipids) and δ‐tocopherol (ca. 86 mg kg^?1 of total lipids). High levels of phytosterols (ca. 7.8 g kg^?1 of total extracted lipids) were detected, among which β‐sitosterol was the most abundant (47 %). All these results highlight the richness of carotenoids, tocopherols and sterols in A. cyanophylla seed oil, and imply that this species might constitute a potential resource for the development of functional foods.     

Heavy metal uptake by wheat from a sewage sludge-amended calcareous soil

The objective of this 4-year study was to determine single and repetitive effects of sewage sludge applications on the accumulation of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in soil and wheat (Triticum aestivum). A single sludge application at a rate of 100 Mg ha⁻¹ (for all the metals) and at a rate of 50 Mg ha⁻¹ (for Cu) significantly increased DTPA-extractable metal concentrations 4 years later. DTPA-extractable concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cu were closely correlated with the total concentrations in soil. Their relationships between metal uptake in stalks and DTPA-extractable metal concentrations in soil were approximately linear for Pb, Cd and Cu, but better described by a quadratic equation for Cd and Zn. TF for Pb, Zn and Cu, BF for all metals and BCF for Pb, Cd and Zn were lower in wheat grown on sludge-treated than control plots.     

Response of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) to zinc fertilization and its critical level in soils of semi-arid tropics

In a greenhouse experiment the response of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) to zinc fertilization was examined using 27 soils from the semi-arid tropics. The critical level of DTPA extractable soil Zn was evaluated. Zinc additions to the soil increased the dry matter yield of six weeks old plant shoot, grain and straw significantly at the 5 mg kg^–1 level, but tended to decrease it at the 10 mg kg^–1 level.The DTPA extractable Zn of the soils ranged from 0.28 to 1.75 ppm and was negatively correlated at 1 per cent level with pH (r = – 0.81) and positively with organic carbon (r = 0.79) and Olsen's P (r = 0.63). The per cent yield increase or decrease over zero zinc ranged from 67 to – 16 in respect of grain yield and was positively correlated with available Zn (r = 0.86^**). Zinc concentration in plants was greatly increased with the application of Zn and accumulation of Zn was higher in grain than straw. The critical level of available zinc in soil below which plant response to Zn fertilization may be expected was 0.48 mg Zn kg^–1 soil. Soils between 0.48 to 0.70 mg kg^–1 of DTPA extractable Zn appear boarderline and a negative response to applied Zn was observed in soils of high Zn category. The results show the suitability of DTPA soil test for demarcating soils on the basis of plant response to zinc fertilization.     

Electrodialytic extraction of Cu,Pb and Cl from municipal solid waste incineration fly ash suspended in water

The possibility of using fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) in, for example, concrete is considered. MSWI fly ash, however, has too high a concentration of heavy metals, which may cause leaching problems during use or problems with waste handling at the end of the lifetime of the concrete. The Cl content in MSWI fly ash is also too high and will cause corrosion problems in reinforced concrete. The possibility of removing some of the unwanted heavy metals (Cu and Pb) together with Cl from an MSWI fly ash suspended in water using an electrodialytic separation method was investigated. The removal of Pb and Cu was found to be highly pH dependent and the highest contents removed were 41 and 90%, respectively. The Cu concentration of the ash decreased from 2200 to 860 mg kg^?1 but the Pb concentration increased from 8560 to 16 800 mg kg^?1, showing that Pb is mainly found in the ash fraction that is least soluble. Hence electrodialytic treatment of the ash suspended in water is not a solution to improve the ash quality in terms of Pb. The water‐soluble Cl content per unit weight of the original ash was 12.4%. The removal of water‐soluble Cl was efficient and >98% of Cl was removed (calculated on the basis of mean initial and final concentrations). This result indicates that electrodialytic extraction may be a method that can be used for the removal of Cl from ash prior to its utilization in concrete. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Corrosion Behavior of Bitter Almond Oil During Processing

This study aims to explore the corrosion behavior of bitter almond oil (BAO) during processing. Hydrocyanic acid (HCN) and benzoic acid in oil are speculated as the main components that corrode the screw oil expeller. Immersion and simulation corrosion tests are carried out to verify this hypothesis. Immersion test results show that crude BAO (CBAO) containing 5.07 ± 0.06 mg kg^?1 benzoic acid and 4.25 ± 0.04 mg kg^?1 HCN exhibits corrosive effects on steel. Simulation corrosion test results indicate that the addition of CN^? or benzoic acid has significant effect on the corrosion of steel. Specifically, at ≥1 × 10⁴ mg kg^?1 benzoic acid concentration or ≥5 mg kg^?1 CN^? concentration, the mass of steel blocks in oil decreases and the contents of Fe, Zn, Al, and Mg ions in oil increase significantly. Therefore, HCN in CBAO is the main cause of screw oil expeller corrosion in BAO processing and benzoic acid is the secondary cause. Practical Applications: The corrosion behavior of CBAO not only damages the integrity of the screw oil expeller but also increases the dissolution of toxic metals from the components into oil. The study of corrosion has practical value in taking effective measures, such as detoxification before pressing and addition of natural inhibitors, to reduce corrosion and ensure the quality of CBAO. Corrosion study provides the basis for the selection of steel materials of screw oil expeller.     

Determination of critical level of zinc in non-calcareous soils for predicting response of wheat to applied zinc

Studies were conducted in ten non-calcareous arid brown soils (India) to determine the critical level of soil Zn for predicting response of wheat to zinc fertilization. The per cent mean response at 5 mg kg^–1 added Zn varied from 1.3 to 51.4 with a mean value of 17.5 per cent over control in terms of grain yield (g pot^–1). Further, Zn application resulted in significant increase in Zn concentration in various plant parts in all the soils irrespective of the initial Zn status. The critical level of Zn in soil and plant below which response to applied Zn may be expected was found to be 1.75 mg kg^–1 for 0.1 N HC1 extractable soil Zn and 1.7 mg kg^–1 for plant tissue Zn.     

Leaching of Pb Contaminated Soil using Ozone/UV Treatment of EDTA Extractants

Abstract

One of the main problems of EDTA based soil‐washing technologies for remediation of heavy metals contaminated soils is the separation of EDTA‐heavy metals complexes from the waste extractant. In our study an advanced oxidation process using ozone and UV was used for the decomposition of EDTA‐Pb complexes in soil extractants obtained during leaching of Pb contaminated soil. Released Pb was removed by absorption. Twenty consecutive soil treatments with 2.5 mmol kg^?1 EDTA removed 58.4% of Pb and greatly reduced the Pb mobility and oral‐availability. The waste extractant was colorless, with slightly basic pH and with low Pb and EDTA concentrations.     

Synthesis,characterization, and application of a new chelating resin functionalized with dithiooxamide

Chloromethylated polystyrene‐divinylbenzene has been functionalized with dithiooxamide. The resulting chelating resin (DTOA) has been characterized by elemental analyses, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and metal ion sorption capacities. It has been used for the preconcentration and separation of Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II) prior to their determination by FAAS. Parameters such as the amount of the resin, effect of pH, equilibration rate, sorption and desorption of metal ions, and effect of diverse ions have been studied. The maximum sorption capacities found are 0.97, 0.12, 0.08, and 0.12 mmol g^?1 for Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II) at pH 6.0, 5.5, 1.0, and 5.5, respectively. The preconcentration factors are 100, 100, 50, and 50 for Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II), respectively. Recoveries of the metal ions were 96 ± 5, 97 ± 6, 96 ± 5, and 96 ± 5 at 95% confidence level, whereas the limits of detection are 2.0, 1.3, 2.5, and 25.0 μg L^?1 for Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II), respectively. The calibration curves were linear up to 12 μg mL^?1 (R² = 1.000), 2 μg mL^?1 (R² = 0.998), 2 μg ml^?1 (R² = 1.000), and 5 μg mL^?1 (R² = 0.979) for Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II), respectively. The reliability of the method has been tested by analyzing certified samples. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 2281–2285, 2007     

Crop response to manure and fertilizer in Burkina Faso and Niger

Farmyard manure (FYM) is valuable for soil management, especially for soils with <?10 g kg^?1 organic C in semi-arid West Africa. This study determined short-term FYM effects on yield and on response to N, P and K fertilizer for 20 trials in Niger and 28 trials in Burkina Faso involving six crops. The comparisons were of 0 and 2.5 Mg ha^?1 yr^?1 FYM applied in Niger, and of 0 and 5 Mg ha^?1 FYM applied once in 2 years in Burkina Faso. Fertilizer and FYM application alone had little effect on yield in Niger but there was a synergistic effect of fertilizer P with FYM which included increased mean responses to P of, respectively: 0.22 and 0.43 Mg ha^?1 for sorghum grain and fodder (Sorghum bicolor L.); 0.15 and 0.27 Mg ha^?1 for cowpea grain and fodder; 0.16 Mg ha^?1 grain for pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) when intercropped with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.); and 0.39 Mg ha^?1 for groundnut fodder (Arachis hypogea L.). Application of FYM increased pearl millet response to N but decreased legume response to K fertilizer. In Burkina Faso, there was a mean grain yield increase of 0.29 Mg ha^?1 yr^?1 due to FYM and the effect of applying both FYM and fertilizer was additive except for a synergy of N fertilizer plus manure application for maize (Zea mays L.). Therefore, farmers should apply FYM and fertilizer together in Niger but these can be applied alone or together in Burkina Faso with mostly similar effects.     

Biosorption of heavy metals (Cd,Cu, Ni,Pb, Zn) by chemically-reinforced biomass of marine algae

Particles of two different sizes (0·105–0·295 mm and 0·84–1.00 mm diameter) of two marine algae, Sargassum fluitans and Ascophyllum nodosum, were crosslinked with formaldehyde (FA), glutaraldehyde (GA) or embedded in polyethylene imine (PEI), followed by glutaraldehyde crosslinking. They were used for equilibrium sorption uptake studies with cadmium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc. The metal uptake by larger particles (0·84–1·00 mm) was higher than that by smaller particles (0·105–0·295 mm). The order of adsorption for S. fluitans biomass particles was Pb > Cd > Cu > Ni > Zn, for A. nodosum copper and cadmium change places. Uptakes of metals range from q_max = 378 mg Pb g^?1 for S. fluitans (FA, big particles), to q_max = 89 mg Zn g^?1 for S. fluitans (FA, small particles) as the best sorption performance for each metal. Generally, S. fluitans is a better sorbent material for a given metal, size and modification, although there were several exceptions in which metal sorption by A. nodosum was higher. The metal uptake for different chemical modifications showed the order GA > FA > PEI. A comparison of different sorption models revealed that the Langmuir sorption model fitted the experimental data best.     

Phytoextraction of Heavy Metals from Contaminated Soil by Co-Cropping Solanum nigrum L. with Ryegrass Associated with Endophytic Bacterium

A laboratorial study was performed to evaluate the impact of Microbacterium sp. JYC17 upon the growth and phytoextraction of heavy metals by a Cd-hyperaccumulator (Solanum nigrum L.) and a low-accumulating pasture grass (perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L.) in a co-cropping system in a farm soil that was historically irrigated with heavy metals contaminated wastewaters. The result demonstrated that the co-cropping system associated with JYC17 inoculation gave the highest phytoextraction efficiency of metals and reduced the concentrations of Cd and Pb in ryegrass to conform to the Chinese hygiene standards for animal feeds. This approach not only increased the phytoextraction efficiency of heavy metals but also simultaneously allowed agricultural activities with safe animal feed products in the metal-contaminated soil.     

Comparing phenanthrene degradation by alginate‐encapsulated and free Pseudomonas sp. UG14Lr cells in heavy metal contaminated soils

BACKGROUND: Many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminated sites also contain high levels of toxic heavy metals. The presence of heavy metals can adversely affect PAH biodegradation. Encapsulation of bacterial cells has been shown to improve survival and activity of cells under various environmental stresses. This study examined if encapsulation of a phenanthrene‐mineralizing bacterial strain could improve its survival and phenanthrene degradation in heavy metal contaminated soils. RESULTS: Alginate encapsulation did not improve survival and phenanthrene degradation by Pseudomonas sp. UG14Lr in heavy metal contaminated soil. Phenanthrene degradation by, and survival of, free cells and alginate‐encapsulated cells were similar in soil contaminated with 5 mg kg^?1 dry soil of As, Cd, or Pb. The number of UG14Lr cells decreased to undetectable level when the concentration of each heavy metal was increased to 100 mg kg^?1 dry soil. UG14Lr, when inoculated as free cells, survived the best and they were detected over 60 days of incubation in soil. Cells in both wet and dry alginate beads survived less well than free cells at the higher metal concentrations. Correspondingly, phenanthrene degradation in soil inoculated with free UG14Lr was better than that in soil inoculated with alginate‐encapsulated cells. CONCLUSION: Alginate encapsulation adversely affected the survival and phenanthrene degradation ability of UG14Lr cells in heavy metal contaminated soil. It is postulated that alginate may have concentrated the metals which in turn increased the toxicity to UG14Lr cells. The results are of interest to those interested in the use of encapsulation technology to formulate microbial cells for bioremediation purposes. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry