Bacteria were unable to tolerate the radionuclides, while the halophilic fungi tolerated and efficiently remediated them

Radionuclides are essential for chemical and biological innovations, but their presence as toxic pollutant particles poses a significant threat to human health. To state this issue, bioremediation methodologies utilizing microorganisms have been implemented cost-effectively for removing elevated levels of heavy metals and radionuclides from the environment. The study's goal was to look into how bacteria (Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli) and halophilic fungi (Aspergillus penicillioides, Engyodontium album, Penicillium imranianum, and Sterigmatomyces halophilus) tolerate radionuclides (Cesium, Strontium, and Uranium). The radionuclides inhibited bacteria and suppressed fungal growth. Interestingly, combinations of radionuclides with fungi were found to be more lethal against bacteria. Fungi demonstrated varying tolerance to radionuclides and exhibited efficient biosorption of radionuclides. Among the halophilic fungi, P. imranianum has shown the best performance in terms of tolerance against both bacteria and radionuclides. At the same time, S. halophilus exhibited the least ability to handle the stress conditions imposed by radionuclides. This study highlights the considerable potential for biosorption by halophilic fungi under extreme stress conditions, delivering a rate effective ecological solution for the elimination of toxic radionuclides.