The supernatants were
filtered on 100-kDa-cutoff ultrafiltration cartridges prior to quantification
in order to suppress the potential contribution of the
secreted bacterial EPS to metal adsorption. Mercury removal was
observed for all strains, resulting in 18 to 97% depletion of the 100
M mercury initially present in the culture medium (Fig. 1A).
The maximum ratio of sorption to cell biomass was measured for
S. marcescens HG19, a strain that triggered mercury precipitation
visible to the naked eye. For K. rosea EP1 and, to a minor extent,
Ochrobactrum sp. HG16 and Lysinibacillus sp. HG17, the sum of