Project “MER-CLUB”

Bioremediation of Mercury-Contaminated Sediments Using Marine Bacteria

The MER-CLUB project aimed to develop a technology for the microbial degradation of toxic mercury compounds in marine sediments. The objective was to reduce the presence of mercury compounds, such as methylmercury (a potent neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in the food chain), and improve the quality of the marine environment.

Led by the Spanish technology center AZTI, the initiative was launched at the end of 2019, bringing together seven international partners. These included six research groups specializing in marine microbiology, metagenomics, environmental assessment, mercury biogeochemistry, and bioactive materials. These groups came from Spain (AZTI, ICM-CSIC, UAB), Sweden (SLU), France (UPPA), and Germany (GMBU e.V.).

The project also involved the participation of a Spanish company, AFESA Medio Ambiente S.A., which is actively engaged in the decontamination of several chlor-alkali plants in Spain.

To develop the proposed system, the project first identified marine microorganisms and biogeochemical processes that play a crucial role in the degradation of toxic mercury compounds. This research provided a fundamental understanding of the biological mechanisms driving the mercury cycle in aquatic ecosystems.

Furthermore, the degradation performance of promising candidate strains was evaluated in laboratory-scale studies (bioreactors) and in small- to medium-scale pilot studies. The role of GMBU e.V. was to immobilize the candidate strains onto porous carrier materials, enabling their enriched reintroduction into marine sediments. For this purpose, the sol-gel method was applied and adapted for the immobilization of marine bacteria, marking the first time it was successfully used for marine microorganisms.

Publication:
C. Pereira-García et al. (2024) Unmasking the physiology of mercury detoxifying bacteria from polluted sediments. Journal of Hazardous Materials.

Project partners:

• AZTI, Spain
• Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), Spain
• Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain
• AFESA Medio Ambiente S.L, Spain
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Sweden
• University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour (UPPA), France
• GMBU e.V., Department Functional Coatings, Germany, Dresden

Funding:

• European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)

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ANSPRECHPARTNER:
Dr. Ulrich Soltmann
Fachsektion Dresden – “Funktionelle Schichten”
Tel.: 0351 / 2695 343
E-Mail: soltmann@gmbu.de