Fig 4. Process for utilizing silica-encapsulated E. coli pBBRBB::mer as a bioremediation catalyst in flow-through systems.

E. coli containing pBBRBB::mer are encapsulated in silica beads using sol-gel technology and catalyze the cleavage of organic C-Hg bonds of mercury species and subsequent reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(0). Resulting Hg(0) is then captured downstream by an activated charcoal filter.