Sustainable batch production of biosynthesized nanoparticles

Abstract

The production of biosynthesized nanoparticles is a slow process with complex isolation and collection procedures due to adhesion to the cell surface. Isolating the microorganism by immobilization in alginate beads will allow for easier recovery of nanoparticles. Immobilized Clostridium pasteurianum was able to reduce Pd ions efficiently through multiple batch production cycles with an average of 99.5% reduction in the metal ions. Microscopic imaging, diffraction and spectroscopic analyses of the Pd nanoparticles formed using immobilized cultures showed similar size distribution to particles collected from suspended cultures and confirmed the particles were metallic Pd. The Pd nanoparticles also retained their catalytic activity, as shown through the reduction of 450μM methyl orange in less time than the controls. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the immobilization method for batch production of biosynthesized nanoparticles with little to no difference in particle size and properties.