Resistance of Negev desert microbial community to Cu2+ and Hg2+

Abstract

The aim of the work is to evaluate the ability to keep stabile functioning of microbial community of Negev Desert clay (Israel) in the presence of typical for damaging effect toxic metals - Cu2 + and Hg2+ . The results show the stability of Negev desert microbial community to the extremely high bactericidal concentrations of toxic metals (1000 mg/l Cu2+and 10 mg/l Hg2+), despite the trace concentrations of these metals (0,23 mg/l Cu2+) in the desert ecosystem. This indicates a high resistance and ability of microbial cenosis to adapt to extreme factors. It can be supposed, according to obtained results, that Negev desert microbial community is able to interact with toxic metals and involve them in biogeochemical cycles. On the base of metal resistant microorganisms from Negev desert ecosystem development the technology of industrial heavy metal wastewater purification is available.