2026-10-06T15:47:28Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/33773408 2026-09-15T06:55:00Z category_4 category_7 category_8 category_14 category_21 category_272 category_873 category_39 portal_87 item_type_3 month_year_09_2026

Isolation and characterization of multitrait Bacillus spp. that exhibit <i>in vitro</i> bioremediation of heavy metals and pesticides Aaditi Wangikar (24913859) Aparna Saraf (5982278) Ashootosh Mandpe (13997034) Ayushi Vyalse (24913862) Supriya Ratnaparkhe (15085341) Biochemistry Medicine Microbiology Molecular Biology Biotechnology Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified Ecology Bacillus spp bioinoculants bioremediation heavy metal tolerance malathion biodegradation multifunctional microbial consortium plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and sustainable agriculture <p>Soil health and agricultural productivity are severely threatened by agrochemical pollution and heavy metal accumulation. This study aimed to isolate, characterize, and construct a multi-strain Bacillus spp. consortium possessing simultaneous plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) traits, heavy metal tolerance, and pesticide degradation capabilities to serve as a sustainable bioremediation tool. Spore-forming bacteria were isolated from 44 diverse Indian crop rhizosphere soil samples <i>via</i> enrichment and heat-shock treatment. Non-hemolytic isolates were screened for mineral solubilization, diazotrophic growth, and inter-strain compatibility. Formulated multi-strain blends were evaluated for heavy metal tolerance against HgCl2, Pb(CH3COO)2, NiCl2, and As2O3 and compatibility with six agrochemicals. Malathion biodegradation was tracked using plate assays and confirmed <i>via</i> liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Six distinct Bacillus strains (<i>Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</i>, <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>, <i>Bacillus haynesii</i>, <i>Bacillus tequilensis</i>, <i>Bacillus licheniformis</i>, and <i>Bacillus halotolerans</i>) were identified. These strains demonstrated specialized phosphate (up to 65.13 mg/L) and potash (up to 9.43 mg/L) solubilization. Excluding the antagonistic <i>B. tequilensis</i>, four consortia were developed. Blend 2 (<i>B. amyloliquefaciens</i>–<i>B. subtilis</i>–<i>B. licheniformis</i>) exhibited the highest heavy metal resilience, tolerating lead up to 1000 mg/L. Crucially, <i>B. haynesii</i> and <i>B. licheniformis</i> actively degraded the organophosphate malathion. LC–MS/MS verified biotransformation, mapping the metabolic breakdown into malathion monocarboxylic acid (MMC), and malathion dicarboxylic acid (MDC). This study presents the first official report of breakdown of malathion by <i>B. haynesii</i>. The developed multi-strain Bacillus consortia show promising functional advantages over single-strain inoculants, providing a highly effective, multifaceted strategy for sustainable agriculture and environmental bioremediation.</p> 2026-09-15T06:55:00Z Dataset Dataset 10.6084/m9.figshare.33773408.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Isolation_and_characterization_of_multitrait_Bacillus_spp_that_exhibit_i_in_vitro_i_bioremediation_of_heavy_metals_and_pesticides/33773408 CC BY 4.0