The biomineralization process of hydrozincite [Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6] was investigated in vitro.Cyanobacteria and water were collected at Naracauli stream (Sardinia, Italy) during a seasonal field campaign,and used in the laboratory experiments. In order to have a better knowledge of the biomineralization process,whole bacterial cells, bacterial lysate and bacterial exopolymers were used. The results from this study indicates that hydrozincite biomineralization can be reproduced in vitro. Natural and in vitro-formed minerals were studied by using SEM, XRD, IR spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Natural and in vitro-formed hydozincite minerals show different morphological and cristallinity features. The role of the cyanobacteria and the mechanism of biomineralization are briefly discussed.
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