German scientists find microbes that remove 95% of uranium from contaminated wate

A team of scientists has uncovered a naturally occurring microbial process that could change how uranium-contaminated water is cleaned up. Studying bacteria living in the flooded Königstein uranium mine in Germany, the researchers discovered that certain microorganisms can transform highly soluble uranium into a rare, stable mineral that remains locked in place instead of spreading through groundwater. In laboratory experiments, the microbes removed around 95% of dissolved uranium over 130 days, raising the possibility of using naturally occurring bacteria as an environmentally friendly tool for remediating radioactive pollution.