Production of gold nanoparticles by electrode-respiring Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2016 · Enzyme and Microbial Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enzmictec.2016.07.012· OSTI ID:1342325

Tanzil, Abid H.; Sultana, Sujala T.; Saunders, Steven R.; Dohnalkova, Alice C.; Shi, Liang; Davenport, Emily; Ha, Phuc; Beyenal, Haluk

Current chemical syntheses of nanoparticles (NP) has had limited success due to the relatively high environmental cost caused by the use of harsh chemicals requiring necessary purification and size-selective fractionation. Therefore, biological approaches have received recent attention for their potential to overcome these obstacles as a benign synthetic approach. The intrinsic nature of biomolecules present in microorganisms has intrigued researchers to design bottom-up approaches to biosynthesize metal nanoparticles using microorganisms. Most of the literature work has focused on NP synthesis using planktonic cells while the use of biofilms are limited. The goal of this work was to synthesize gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using electrode respiring Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms. We found that most of the AuNPs are generated in the extracellular matrix of Geobacter biofilms with an average particle size of 20 nm. The formation of AuNPs was verified using TEM, FTIR and EDX. We also found that the extracellular substances extracted from electrode respiring G. sulfurreducens biofilms can reduce Au3+ to AuNPs. It appears that reducing sugars were involved in bioreduction and synthesis of AuNPs and amine groups acted as the major biomolecules involved in binding. This is first demonstration of AuNPs formation from the extracellular matrix of electrode respiring biofilms.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1342325
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA--119624; 49207; KP1704020
• Journal Information: Enzyme and Microbial Technology, Journal Name: Enzyme and Microbial Technology Journal Issue: C Vol. 95; ISSN 0141-0229
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
Geobacter sulfurreducens
Gold Nanoparticles
biofilms
extracellular substances