Chromate tolerant bacteria isolated from tannery effluent

The occurrence of metal tolerant and antibiotic resistant organisms was investigated in tannery effluent. Seventy-seven isolates comprising heterotrophs (41) and coliforms (36) which were tolerant to chromate level of > 50 microg/ml were selected for detailed study. The majority of the coliforms were resistant to higher levels of chromate (200 microg/ml) whereas around 3% of the heterotrophs were resistant to Cr6+ at a level of > 150 microg/ml. All chromate tolerant heterotrophs were also tolerant to Cu2+ (100%) whereas only 58.53% coliforms were tolerant to Cu2+. Except in the case of Cd2+ a higher number of heterotrophs were found tolerant to other heavy metals tested. Both groups of isolates were found sensitive to mercury. Resistance to cephaloridine was more abundant (P < 0.001) in coliforms as compared to heterotrophs. On the other hand a significantly higher number (P < 0.01) of heterotrophs showed resistance to streptomycin and carbencillin. All coliforms were sensitive to chloramphenicol. Around 80%) and 31.70% of coliforms and heterotrophs exhibited a relationship to the combination of metals and antibiotics. Both heterotrophs and coliforms tolerant to Hg2+ were also resistant to polymixin-B.