Phys.org April 24, 2021
The chemical synthesis of monoatomic metallic copper is unfavorable as it requires inert or reductive conditions and the use of toxic reagents. An international team of researchers (Brazil, USA – University of Houston, Japan) describes how a copper-resistant bacterium isolated from a copper mine in Brazil converts toxic copper ions to stable single-atom copper. They propose a biosynthetic mechanism for production of copper via proteomics analysis. This microbial conversion is carried out naturally under aerobic conditions eliminating toxic solvents. They demonstrated the abundant intracellular synthesis of single-atom zero-valent copper by the bacterium. The finding shows that microbes in acid mine drainages can naturally extract metal ions, such as copper, and transform them into a valuable commodity…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Cu atom synthesis and TEM characterization. Credit: Science Advances 23 Apr 2021:
Vol. 7, no. 17, eabd9210