(Photo Courtesy of Environment Canada)

A few years ago I wrote about bacteria being used to clean up nuclear waste. Now I learn that they will be used to clean up arsenic contamination in mines.

What will those little buggers do next?

Here’s the news clip:

“Scientists studying arsenic pollution have discovered a living sensor that can spot contamination. They have also discovered new bacteria that can clean up arsenic spills even in previously untreatable cold areas, microbiologists heard today at the Society for General Microbiology’s autumn meeting being held this week at Trinity College, Dublin.

The arsenic-eating bacteria was discovered at the Giant Mine, a large gold mine located at Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, in the Canadian sub-arctic. It contains over 230,000 metric tonnes of arsenic trioxide dust produced during the gold roasting process, making it one of the most polluted places on Earth.

This dust is water soluble and contains approximately 60 percent arsenic.” ~ENS Keep Reading >>