ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the general mechanisms of heavy metal resistance in bacteria and the potential of halophilic bacteria in bioremediation with special reference to cadmium and lead are reviewed. In the present scenario, we need strains with high metal resistance and removal capacity in varying salinities. It is a well-known fact that the constituents of bacterial growth media and also the salt will react with cadmium and lead. The toxicity of a metal to bacteria strongly depends on its bioavailability rather than its concentration. At higher concentrations, lead tends to precipitate more in the media. So when conducting metal reduction experiments, care should be given to constituents of media and the concentration of the metal tested. Though there were a number of studies dealing with the interference of culture medium components and salinity with metals, there is still a long way to go.
