To effectively carry out the bioremediation of a Pb2+ polluted environment, a lead-tolerant strain named D1 was screened from the activated sludge of a factory in Hefei, and its lead removal in a solution with Pb2+ concentration of 200 mg/L could reach 91% under optimal culture conditions. Morphological observation and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used to identify D1 accurately, and its cultural characteristics and lead removal mechanism were also preliminarily studied. The results showed that the D1 strain was preliminarily identified as the Sphingobacterium mizutaii strain. The experiments conducted via orthogonal test showed that the optimal conditions for the growth of strain D1 were pH 7, inoculum volume 6%, 35 °C, and rotational speed 150 r/min. According to the results of scanning electron microscopy and energy spectrum analysis before and after the D1 exposure to lead, it is believed that the lead removal mechanism of D1 is surface adsorption. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results revealed that multiple functional groups on the surface of the bacterial cells are involved in the Pb adsorption process. In conclusion, the D1 strain has excellent application prospects in the bioremediation of lead-contaminated environments.
Keywords: adsorption characteristics; cultural character; heavy metal pollution; lead-tolerant strains; removal mechanism.