Bacillus licheniformis, B. subtilis, B. cereus, Bacillus pumilus and Exiguobacterium sp., which were resistant up to 20 mg Na2SeO3/ml in nutrient broth and 40 mg/ml on nutrient agar plates, were isolated from contaminated soil and water. They grew from 25 to 45A degrees C and pH 5 to 9. They had multiple metal and antibiotic resistances. All strains reduced selenite (SeIV) to elemental selenium (Se0) aerobically with a maximum reduction of 97% by B. pumilus after 144 h with Na2SeO3 at 500 mu g/ml.