Mine wastes pollute the environment with metals and metalloids in toxic concentrations, causing problems for humans and wildlife. Microorganisms colonize and inhabit mine wastes, and can influence the environmental mobility of metals through metabolic activity, biogeochemical cycling and detoxification mechanisms. In this article we review the microbiology of the metals and metalloids most commonly associated with mine wastes: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc. We discuss the molecular mechanisms by which bacteria, archaea, and fungi interact with contaminant metals and the consequences for metal fate in the environment, focusing on long-term field studies of metal-impacted mine wastes where possible. Metal contamination can decrease the efficiency of soil functioning and essential element cycling due to the need for microbes to expend energy to maintain and repair cells. However, microbial communities are able to tolerate and adapt to metal contamination, particularly when the contaminant metals are essential elements that are subject to homeostasis or have a close biochemical analog. Stimulating the development of microbially reducing conditions, for example in constructed wetlands, is beneficial for remediating many metals associated with mine wastes. It has been shown to be effective at low pH, circumneutral and high pH conditions in the laboratory and at pilot field-scale. Further demonstration of this technology at full field-scale is required, as is more research to optimize bioremediation and to investigate combined remediation strategies. Microbial activity has the potential to mitigate the impacts of metal mine wastes, and therefore lessen the impact of this pollution on planetary health.

中文翻译：

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金属矿山废物的微生物学：生物修复应用及其对地球健康的影响

矿山废料中有毒浓度的金属和类金属污染环境，给人类和野生动物带来问题。微生物在矿山废物中定殖并栖息，并可以通过代谢活动、生物地球化学循环和解毒机制影响金属的环境流动性。在本文中，我们回顾了最常与矿山废物相关的金属和准金属的微生物学：砷、镉、铬、铜、铅、汞、镍和锌。我们讨论细菌、古细菌和真菌与污染物金属相互作用的分子机制以及对环境中金属命运的影响，重点关注尽可能对受金属影响的矿山废物进行长期实地研究。由于微生物需要消耗能量来维持和修复细胞，金属污染会降低土壤功能和必需元素循环的效率。然而，微生物群落能够耐受和适应金属污染，特别是当污染物金属是受稳态影响或具有密切生化类似物的必需元素时。刺激微生物还原条件的发展，例如在人工湿地中，有利于修复与矿山废物相关的许多金属。它已被证明在实验室和中试现场规模的低 pH、中性和高 pH 条件下有效。需要在全现场范围内进一步证明该技术，还需要进行更多研究来优化生物修复和研究组合修复策略。微生物活动有可能减轻金属矿山废物的影响，从而减轻这种污染对地球健康的影响。