Copper is one of the most widely used metals, but its extraction process requires a lot of energy, and requires strict chemical treatment, a lot of pollution is also inevitable. But now researchers at the University of Houston have found that there is a bacteria that can naturally convert toxic copper ions into the metal copper.
No matter how uninhabitable an environment is in our opinion, it is possible for some form of life to find a way to multiply there. Copper mines are one such example: copper mines may be toxic, but some kinds of bacteria have been found to live there. In the new study, the researchers investigated their actual performance in these mines.
Using an electron microscope, the team detected a type of bacillus isolated from a copper mine in Brazil. They found that the bacteria could convert toxic copper sulfate ions into a stable, monoatomic form of zero-valent copper. This is the metal copper that people are most familiar with.
Debora Rodrigues, co-author of the study, said: "this microbe uses a unique biological pathway in which its protein array can extract copper (II) (Cu2+) and convert it into monoatomic zero-valent copper (Cu0). The goal of these microbes is to create a less toxic environment for themselves by converting ionic copper into monoatomic copper, but at the same time they also create things that are good for us. "
This finding is particularly interesting because man's own industrial process for the conversion of this substance is quite unenvironmentally friendly, requiring toxic solvents and producing dangerous gases such as sulfur dioxide. The production of waste is laborious and laborious, in short, it is very expensive.
"as far as chemical reactions are concerned, this is extremely difficult to accomplish," the researchers pointed out. In general, harsh chemicals are needed to produce a single atom of any element. This bacteria is creating it very naturally, which is very impressive. "
Using bacteria to convert copper into usable substances will eventually be safer and more efficient, and they allow people to extract valuable materials from mine waste streams, such as acid mine drains, the team said. Other species may have a similar function. After all, other bacteria have been found to convert toxic metals into tiny nuggets.
However, as always, there is a question of the extent to which the process can be used for industrial use. The next step in the study will be to investigate the feasibility of this method and continue to obtain copper from bacteria.
