US-India Cooperative Research: Microbe-Mineral Interaction Mechanisms Relevant To Precious Metal Extraction with Environmental Control

0117627 Somasundaran描述：该奖项支持美印合作研究“与环境控制的贵金属提取相关的微生物-矿物相互作用机制”。“PI将研究生物处理以提高金、银和铂等贵金属的回收率，并将重点研究某些微生物粘附在不同矿物表面并改变界面性质的机制。 这些机制还不是很清楚。 在沥滤过程中，金属离子积累;其中一些可能会对细菌产生毒性。 需要了解所选细菌的有毒金属耐受性，并开发更有效的金属耐受菌株。范围：这项研究的合作者，P. Somasundaran，哥伦比亚大学和K. Natarajan，印度科学研究所，班加罗尔，在过去的工作取得了成功，并在主要的国际期刊上发表。 由于在过去十年中环境意识的不断增强，生物技术的使用作为一种环境友好、成本和能源效率高的矿物净化和环境控制手段已变得有吸引力。 该项目由国际方案司和印度政府科学技术部联合支助。

0117627Somasundaran Description: This award supports US-India cooperative research entitled "Microbe-Mineral Interaction Mechanisms Relevant to Precious Metal Extraction with Environmental Control." The PIs will investigate bioprocessing for the enhanced recovery of precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum and will focus on the mechanisms by which certain microbes adhere to different mineral surfaces and alter interfacial properties. These mechanisms are as yet not very clear. During leaching, metal ions accumulate; some of which may confer toxicity to bacteria. There is need to understand the toxic metal tolerance of selected bacteria and develop more efficient metal tolerant strains. Scope: The collaborators for this research, P. Somasundaran, Columbia University and K. Natarajan, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, have worked successfully in the past and have published in major international journals. Due to growing environmental awareness during the past decade, the use of biotechnology has become attractive as an environmentally benign, cost and energy efficient means for mineral beneficiation and environmental control. This project is jointly supported by the Division of International Programs and the Government of India's Department of Science & Technology.