Current Affairs - Technology - Discussion

Researchers discovered a new species of pollution-eating bacteria, Brachybacterium netajii, in the Hooghly River, West Bengal, on June 26, 2026. The discovery was made through a collaborative effort involving Netaji Mahavidyalaya, the University of Burdwan, IIT (BHU), and Hiroshima University, Japan. The bacterium can degrade p-nitrophenol (PNP), a toxic industrial pollutant, by using it as a source of carbon and energy. It also shows remarkable resistance to heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury and can tolerate high salinity. The species was named in honour of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose for his contributions to scientific and technological advancement.