Nanotechnology and Cleaning Up the Environment

17 June 2007

Many people are concerned about the impact of Nanotechnology in the environment, specifically the toxic effects of nanoparticles as they are leeched into soil or water. However, curiously enough, researchers have discovered that these nanoparticles are automatically cleaned up by the adverse reaction of microbial proteins to the nanoparticles. It turns out that microbial protein tends to cause toxic nanoparticles to aggregate. The bacteria immobilize the nanoparticles and their constituent metals in order to protect the bacteria from potentially toxic effects.

The discovery was made by observing bacteria from an abandoned mine. It was found these bacteria produced protein that caused the metallic nanoparticles to aggregate. Without aggregation, nanoparticle metal byproducts such as zinc could easily move about and potentially dissolve once again if conditions were optimal. However, aggregation binds the nanoparticles and prevents this from happening. The benefit to the bacteria is that aggregation shifts the nanoparticles safely away from the cells.

Researchers also discovered that different kinds of amino acids also contribute to this aggregation effect. Cysteine, a protein building amino acid, caused extensive and longer lasting aggregation of nanoparticles. Organic nitrogen also had a powerful effect.

The implications for environmental clean up are clear. Cysteine and other proteins could be used to induce this Nanotechnology enabled cleanup of the water and the environment in general. What was done in a small scale in the lab can be expanded to a larger scale and improve water quality.

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