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Oxalic acid is the most abundant low molecular weight organic acid (LMWOA) in many environments and offers enormous prospects for treating Cr(VI) contamination. In this study, laboratory batch experiments were conducted to estimate the roles of oxalic acid in Cr(VI) removal by Penicillium oxalicum SL2. Oxalic acid changed the initial pH and provided a suitable condition for the growth of strain SL2 when the penicillium was applied to bioremediation of Cr(VI) contamination in alkaline soil. Gompertz model analysis indicated that initial pH affected the lag time of the growth curve of strain SL2. Scanning electron microscopy and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy analysis showed strain SL2 sufficiently contacted with contaminated soil and reduced Cr(VI) to Cr(III) in the hyphae. The results suggested that oxalic acid could enhance the bioremediation efficiency of strain SL2 though improving chromium bioleaching from the contaminated soil and strengthening Cr(VI) removal in the leaching solution. This study provided oxalic acid as a green reagent for stimulating Cr(VI) removal by strain SL2 and would expand knowledge on the roles of LMWOA in Cr(VI) bioremediation. [Display omitted] • Gompertz model could simulate the growth curve of strain SL2 under initial pH5 to pH9. • Growth of strain SL2 had a strong correlation with Cr(VI) removal. • Oxalic acid improved chromium bioleaching by strain SL2 from contaminated soil. • Oxalic acid enhanced Cr(VI) removal by strain SL2 in the leaching solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Cr(VI)-reducing bacteria ( Pseudochrobactrum saccharolyticum LY10) was selected to simulate the biofilm grown in unsaturated habitats containing Cr(VI) and the X-ray fluorescence and absorption methods were used to characterize the temporal and spatial distributions of metal elements in the unsaturated biofilms in the present study. The results indicated that Cr and other elements (Fe, Mn, Ca, K, and Zn) were selectively accumulated in the unsaturated biofilms. Synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence microscopy (SR-μXRF) analysis revealed that Cr mainly existed in the 10–45 μm layer near the bottom biofilm–membrane interface after 24 h of Cr exposure. The analysis of Cr speciation by X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy analysis further confirmed the bioreduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III), and the precipitate formed in the biofilms after reduction were most similar to CrPO 4 . This systematic understanding of the accumulation, distribution and reduction process of Cr in the unsaturated biofilms will elaborate to enhance the bioremediation efficiencies for Cr pollution in soil and other environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]