Imagine living in a liquid with the same pH as ammonia that is 10 times saltier than seawater. Sounds like the setting for a science fiction novel, but it's not. The super salty and slowly vanishing Soap Lake in Washington state is populated with some newly discovered bacteria, which, according to a UMR researcher, may be able to clean up some of humanity's pollution.
UMR environmental microbiologist Melanie Mormile is working with Montana State University chemical engineer and Central Washington University microbiologist Holly Pinkart to identify bacteria in the lake and its surrounding salt flats. Their work led the National Science Foundation to classify the lake as a "microbial observatory."
The trio recently discovered the bacterium Halomonas campisalis devours nitrates for nourishment, making it perfect for treating nitrate-bearing wastewater as well as water left over inthe production of explosives and fertilizers.
Normally, temperature changes in lake water cause them to turn over twice a year, allowing material like dead algae with all their nutrients to accumulate at the bottom of the lake. Soap Lake's shape and high bottom salt content prevent it from turning over, trapping those nutrients. The bottom section of the lake contains so much salt it's like syrup.
Leave a comment