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DBT degradation enhancement by decorating Rhodococcus erythropolis IGST8 with magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles
Author(s) -
Ansari F.,
Grigoriev P.,
Libor S.,
Tothill I.E.,
Ramsden J.J.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.22161
Subject(s) - dibenzothiophene , nanoparticle , membrane , bacteria , magnetic nanoparticles , scanning electron microscope , chemistry , chemical engineering , rhodococcus , nuclear chemistry , membrane permeability , degradation (telecommunications) , permeability (electromagnetism) , flue gas desulfurization , materials science , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , biochemistry , biology , engineering , composite material , genetics , enzyme , telecommunications , computer science
Biodesulfurization (BDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) was carried out by Rhodococcus erythropolis IGST8 decorated with magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, synthesized in‐house by a chemical method, with an average size of 45–50 nm, in order to facilitate the post‐reaction separation of the bacteria from the reaction mixture. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the magnetic nanoparticles substantially coated the surfaces of the bacteria. It was found that the decorated cells had a 56% higher DBT desulfurization activity in basic salt medium (BSM) compared to the nondecorated cells. We propose that this is due to permeabilization of the bacterial membrane, facilitating the entry and exit of reactant and product, respectively. Model experiments with black lipid membranes (BLM) demonstrated that the nanoparticles indeed enhance membrane permeability. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 1505–1512. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.