Production of gold nanoparticles by electrode-respiring Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms
By Tanzil, Abid H.; Sultana, Sujala T.; Saunders, Steven R.; Dohnalkova, Alice C.; Shi, Liang; Davenport, Emily; Ha, Phuc; Beyenal, Haluk
Published in Enzyme and Microbial Technology
2016
Abstract
Abstract The goal of this work was to synthesize gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using electrode-respiring Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms. We found that AuNPs are generated in the extracellular matrix of Geobacter biofilms and have an average particle size of 20 nm. The formation of AuNPs was verified using TEM, {FTIR} and EDX. We also found that the extracellular substances extracted from electrode-respiring G. sulfurreducens biofilms reduce Au3+ to AuNPs. From {FTIR} spectra, it appears that reduced sugars were involved in the bioreduction and synthesis of AuNPs and that amine groups acted as the major biomolecules involved in binding.