Abstract
Abstract. The biotechnological use of bacterial cells and cell components for the detection and accumulation of valuable substances, such as metals and rare earth elements in aqueous systems, is possible by utilizing innate binding characteristics of microorganisms. We have studied the bacteria cells of Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-B53 and Sporosarcina ureae ATCC 13881 to assess their potential applicability for the detection of rare earth elements, base metals or precious metals in water. First, we have demonstrated the interactions of the cells with the metal complexes of Au, Ho and Y by studying the color changes of the respective solutions, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging of the metal cluster decoration on the cell surfaces and cell growth tolerance tests. Based on these results, we have developed two potential sensor systems. A colorimetric sensor was established by applying gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized with surface-layer (S-layer) proteins SslA of S. ureae ATCC 13881 or Slp1 of L. sphaericus JG-B53 for the selective detection of YCl3 up to 1.67 × 10−5 mol L−1 in water. Additionally, a regenerative sensor layer of S-layer proteins on a thin gold film was developed for the detection of 1 × 10−4 mol L−1 YCl3 in water by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy.
Highlights
Water is becoming one of the most important resources of the 21st century (Gleick, 1993)
This study focused on the development of selective biohybrid sensor systems for metal ions in water
For whole-cell sensor applications, the interactions of bacteria cells of L. sphaericus JG-B53 and S. ureae ATCC 13881 with metal salts were investigated optically during incubation and subsequently by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) characterization and growth tests. The aim of these tests was to determine the interactions of bacterial cells with metal salt solutions and to predict which S layer can be used for the detection of the respective metal
Summary
Water is becoming one of the most important resources of the 21st century (Gleick, 1993). The detection of low concentrations of metals from mining and industrial effluent (such as In, Ga, Cu or rare earth elements, REEs) but even more so the elimination and recovery of reusable metals are significant factors that have not yet been fully covered by conventional processes For many of these metals, only a few elaborate detection methods are available so far, which are often tailored to very specific applications. Microorganisms can survive in extreme environmental conditions, even at high concentrations of metallic pollutants They have developed interesting strategies, such as attaching toxic metals selectively to the so-called surface-layer (S-layer) proteins (Pollman and Matys, 2007).
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