Soil contamination with heavy metals causes heavy environmental problems, in particular toxic effects on plants as well as on animals and humans. This article analyzes the effects of copper, a potentially toxic metal and abundant contaminant, on soil bacteria. Gram-positive soil bacteria of the Bacillus and Arthrobacter species, isolated from heavy metal contaminated areas, have been investigated as regards copper resistance. Both the studied Bacillus species (Bacillus cereus and Bacillus pumilus) are tolerant to copper, especially Bacillus cereus, but the investigated Arthrobacter oxydans species is not tolerant to copper. The oxidative stress response is important for adaptation to copper. This study focuses on the bacterial capacity to survive and in vitro antioxidant defense mechanisms for the estimation of their influence on soil restoration processes in vivo.

土壤重金属污染会导致严重的环境问题，特别是对植物以及动物和人类的毒性影响。本文分析了铜（一种潜在的有毒金属和大量污染物）对土壤细菌的影响。从重金属污染区域分离的芽孢杆菌属和节杆菌属的革兰氏阳性土壤细菌已就铜抗性进行了研究。所研究的芽孢杆菌属（蜡状芽孢杆菌和短小芽孢杆菌）对铜具有耐受性，尤其是蜡状芽孢杆菌，但所研究的氧化节杆菌（Arthrobacter oxydans）物种对铜不耐受。氧化应激反应对于适应铜很重要。本研究侧重于细菌的生存能力和体外抗氧化防御机制，以评估它们对体内土壤恢复过程的影响。