Final answer:
Bioremediation of uranium is primarily facilitated by metal-reducing bacteria. These microorganisms convert soluble uranium compounds into insoluble forms, which immobilize the contaminant and prevent environmental spread.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bioremediation of uranium depends on metal-reducing bacteria. These bacteria, such as those belonging to the genera Geobacter and Shewanella, are known to reduce soluble uranium compounds into insoluble forms, thus immobilizing the uranium and preventing its spread in the environment. This process involves microbial metabolism where the bacteria use the uranium as an electron acceptor in their respiratory process. By converting the uranium to a less soluble form, these bacteria effectively remove it from groundwater and soil, making areas contaminated with uranium safer for humans and the ecosystem.
Microbial bioremediation is the use of microbes to clean up pollutants, such as toxic metals. It is a waste management technique that leverages the natural metabolic processes of microorganisms to neutralize and remove contaminants from a variety of environments.