Bacteria to the Rescue: Cleaning Up Chromium Pollution

Chromium pollution is a big problem, especially from leather factories. One type, called hexavalent chromium, is super toxic and hard to clean up. But guess what? Scientists found a bacteria that can help! This bacteria, called Bacillus cereus F4810/72, comes from tannery wastewater. It's like a tiny superhero that can soak up chromium. Scientists tested it under different conditions to see how well it works. They changed things like how much chromium was there, how long they mixed it, the temperature, and more. The best results came when they had just the right mix of conditions. The bacteria could remove about 80% of the chromium.But how does it work? Scientists used special models to figure it out. They found that the bacteria's surface is like a sponge, soaking up the chromium. And the best part? They can reuse the bacteria a few times to clean up more chromium. This is great news because it's a cheap and eco-friendly way to clean up pollution. Instead of using harsh chemicals, we can use nature's own tools to make our environment cleaner and safer.