Sphaerotilus natansis a neutrophilic sheath-forming microorganism from theSphaerotilus-Leptothrixgroup of iron-related bacteria, known to form bacteriogenic iron oxides (BIOS) frequently deposited on cell surfaces as well as on sheaths and extracellular polymeric substances.S. natanshas been reported to be an excellent sorbent for inorganic pollutants, either due to direct sorption onto biological surfaces or due to sorption onto BIOS. However, its filaments can cause bulking problems in wastewater treatment plants. This article promotes the potential applications ofSphaerotilus natansin bioremediation by reviewing its physiology and the fundamental understanding of sheath-forming mechanisms as well as iron biomineralization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]