Metal bacteria – interaction: case of thiobacillus ferrooxidans and AU

Abstract

This chapter emphasizes the surface properties of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans (a locally isolated Gram negative bacterium from an Au mining environment) and its importance in the binding of Au. Studies conducted were aimed at determining the concentration of metal-binding sites present on the bacterial cells surface, specific bacterial surface area, functional groups responsible for the binding of Au - complexes from solution and elucidation on the mode of Au deposition on/inside the bacterial cells region. From the results obtained, the distribution of Au in T. ferrooxidans depends largely on the amount/concentrations of Au present in solution. These conclusions were derived mostly from the surface characterization works carried out. However, possible involvement of other mechanism such as ion-exchange should not be discounted and deserves to be looked into any subsequent studies.