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Volume 7, Issue 6 (Suppl) J Bacteriol Parasito
ISSN: 2155-9597 JBP, an open access journal Microbiology 2016
November 28-29, 2016
November 28-29, 2016 Valencia, Spain
7th World Congress on
Microbiology
Sahar Saad Shar et al., J Bacteriol Parasitol 2016, 7:6 (Suppl)
Biomineralization of platinum by microorganisms
Sahar Saad Shar, Frank Reith and Andrew S Ball
RMIT University, Australia
The biogeochemical cycling and mobility of platinum (Pt) in the environment have only recently been investigated. In particular,
to date the interactions of microorganisms with Pt remain largely unknown. Understanding microbial interactions with platinum
will lead to greater understanding of the biogeochemical cycling of Pt which will be crucial in determining biochemical pathways of
Pt biomineralization. This study aimed to address this gap in our knowledge by assessing the differences in uptake of Pt complexes
between the heavy metal-resistant bacteria Cupriavidus metallidurans and non-heavy metal resistant bacteria Escherichia coli. Sand
columns inoculated with the bacteria and containing Pt were used to assess the interactions between bacteria and Pt. Results during
the 126 day experiment provide evidence of bacteria playing an important role in platinum biomineralization. Scanning electron
microscopy observed the formation of platinum nanoparticles by both bacteria. These platinum nanoparticles were found to be
similar to those naturally occurring. This work highlights the potential role of microorganisms in the biogeochemical cycling of Pt.
Biography
Sahar Saad Shar is a PhD candidate in the School of Science, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University) working under the supervision of Andrew
Ball, Director of the RMIT Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation. Her research focuses on the determination of gold and platinum mobility in the
environment with a focus on determining the roles of microbes. She holds a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Flinders University in Adelaide. She also holds
a Bachelor’s degree from Baha University Saudi Arabia.