Bacterial Scavenging System Does Double-Duty

Scientists at Berkeley have all the bases covered with their patent application for a bioremediation system that not only separates out nanoparticle waste, but prevents biofouling of industrial systems. The innovative double-duty technology, posted by the Berkeley Technology Transfer department, has been built on the discovery, announced last summer, that bacteria emit proteins which scavenge metal nanoparticles in the waters of flooded mines.

Lead author of the study, John Moreau, postulated that the ability of bacteria to immobilize nanoparticles might have applications in bioremediation. In their experiments, zinc sulfide nanoparticles in biofilms from underground mines, were observed to be tightly packed into aggregates containing large amounts of protein. The protein aggregates clumped the nanoparticles into large enough "blobs" that they could not be swept away by underground currents.

This discovery was turned into an industrial process when the researchers developed a way to sequester nanoparticles from industrial effluent, using bacterial cells. The implications of this discovery are tremendous, considering how little we know about nanoparitcle toxicity and mobility in the environment. It's also a great example of a green technology that could be applied to promote sustainability in industry. The technology could also be applied in reverse, using nanoparticles to remove microorganisms from manufacturing systems, and prevent fouling.

_Sources:

In Nature, Proteins Sweep up Nanoparticles. Medical News Today, June 20, 2007.

Bioremediation System for Separating Nanoparticle Waste. Technology Transfer Department, E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Reference #IB-2374.