Removal of cadmium from scallop hepatopancreas by microbial processes

A microbial process for removing cadmium from a homogenate of hepatopancrea s, a waste of scallop processing, was devised to use this waste for value-a dded protein resources. Microorganisms were screened on the basis of the ab ility to remove cadmium From a medium with the initial concentration of 10 mg/l of cadmium. One soil isolate, identified as Xanthomonas sp, UR No. 2 b y its taxonomical characteristics, removed 98% of the cadmium in the medium in 2 d. During cultivation of this strain in the homogenates of hepatopanc reas digested by endopeptidases, 90% of cadmium was removed, while this str ain had little effect on the simple non-digested homogenates. The mass bala nce of cadmium during homogenizations of the hepatopancreas tissues and cul tivations in the protease-treated homogenate were examined. The content of crude proteins of culture supernatant treated by Xanthomonas sp. UR No. 2 w as equivalent to those of various feedstuffs on the market.