Monitoring was also performed of the growth and viability of
A. tucumanensis DSM 45259 inoculated in sterile soil microcosms
(SM) with 80 mg of Cu kg1 of soil (SM80b). Efficiency of the
bioremediation process was confirmed using Zea mays as a bioindicator
(Albarracín et al., 2010b). Soil microcosms not experimentally
polluted with Cu were used as a control (SM20b). In both
cases, maximum growth (2.5 109 CFU g1 of soil) was obtained
after 7 days of incubation. Moreover, the Cu bioimmobilization
ability of A. tucumanensis DSM 45259 in soils was assessed by
measuring the bioavailable Cu in the soil solution extracted from
polluted soil using chemical and physical methods. Copper levels in
this soil solution were found to be 31% lower compared to the
solution from the non-bioaugmented soil.