Scientists discovered that bacteria can turn dissolved uranium into a surprisingly stable form, revealing a potentially powerful new tool for cleaning contaminated water.

Date:

August 9, 2026

Source:

Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Summary:

Deep underground, bacteria may be capable of doing something remarkable: trapping toxic uranium before it spreads. When researchers fed microbes in uranium-contaminated mine water with glycerol, about 95% of the dissolved uranium disappeared within 130 days. The bacteria helped convert it into an unusually stable uranium compound that had rarely been observed before.

 

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Scientists discover bacteria that lock toxic uranium into a stable form | ScienceDaily