Removal of chromate from industrial effluent by a new isolate of Staphylococcus cohnii

We have isolated and identified of a new isolate of Staphylococcus cohnii from a tannery effluent and have studied the capacity of the organism to bioaccumulate chromium. The Staph. cohnii isolate is resistant to Cr, growing well in standard medium supplemented with 1000ppm Cr(VI). Over a treatment period of 96 hrs, the isolate removed about 90% Cr(VI) from medium containing 100ppm Cr(VI) and from contaminated tannery wastewater. Bioaccumulation of Cr from the wastewater was confirmed by atomic absorption. Results further indicate that the organism reduces Cr(VI) to Cr(III).