Bacteria Rhodococcus sp. as Potential Destructors of Detonation Nanodiamonds

Abstract

The effect of detonation-synthesis nanodiamonds (NDs) on the viability of bacterium Rhodococcus sp. 2012B and its capability for ND biodegradation was determined. It was shown that NDs did not decrease the viability of bacterium Rhodococcus sp. 2012B. The bacterium remained resistant to all tested ND concentrations (0.25, 0.5, 5, and 10 mg/mL). It is found that Rhodococcus sp. 2012B is able to maintain its population size during the absence of alternative carbon sources in the presence of even small ND concentrations in the medium. It was determined that the number of viable cells of Rhodococcus sp. 2012B increased almost two times in the presence of high ND concentrations in the presence of an other available carbon source. Thus, bacterium Rhodococcus sp. 2012B can be considered a potential biodestructor of detonation nanodiamonds.