Siderophore production by using free and immobilized cells of two pseudomonads cultivated in a medium enriched with Fe and/or toxic metals (Cr, Hg, Pb).

Pseudomonads are serious candidates for siderophore production applied to toxic metal (TM) solubilization. The bioaugmentation of contaminated soils by these TM-solubilizing bacteria combined with phytoextraction is an emerging clean-up technology. Unfortunately, siderophore synthesis may be drastically reduced by soluble iron in soils and bacteria can suffer from TM toxicity.