Research conducted in Argentina has proved that some bacteria are capable of breaking down and detoxifying otherwise polluting liquid waste from tanneries and paper, textile and chemical industries. The study, conducted by the pharmacy and biochemistry department at the University of Buenos Aires and the National Institute of Industrial Technology, found a new way to decontaminate effluent through bio-degradation.

The bacteria degrade very persistent compounds, but not the most resistant ones, according to Virginia Gemini, co-author of the study. They include chlorophenols and nitrophenols, characterized by their toxicity and high persistence, which can lead to environmental and health problems.

“We wanted to know if in addition to breaking down those compounds the bacteria could generate non-toxic metabolites, which is the most difficult, and we did it,” she told Tierramérica. The degradation takes 48 hours.