Uranium bioaccumulation by Citrobacter sp. as a result of enzymically mediated growth of polycrystalline HUO sub 2 PO sub 4

Journal Article · Fri Aug 07 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1496397· OSTI ID:7260300

Macaskie, L E ^[1]; Empson, R M ^[2]; Cheetham, A K; Grey, C P; Skarnulis, A J ^[3]

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1. Univ. of Birmingham, Edgbaston (United Kingdom)
2. Saint Mary's Hospital Medical School, London (United Kingdom)
3. Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom)

A Citrobacter sp. accumulates heavy deposits of metal phosphate, derived from an enzymically liberated phosphate ligand. The cells are not subject to saturation constraints and can accumulate several times their own weight of precipitated metal. This high capacity is attributable to biomineralization; uranyl phosphate accumulates as polycrystalline HUO{sub 2}PO{sub 4} at the cell surface. The precipitated metal is indistinguishable from crystalline HUO{sub 2}PO{sub 4}{sm bullet}4H{sub 2}O grown by chemical methods.

• OSTI ID: 7260300
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States) Vol. 257:5071; ISSN SCIEA; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560162* -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Animals
Plants
Microorganisms
& Cells
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CLEANING
DECONTAMINATION
ELEMENTS
GROWTH
METABOLISM
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHATES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
URANIUM
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANYL COMPOUNDS
URANYL PHOSPHATES