Bioleaching of heavy metals from chondrite by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Penicillium chrysogenum, and their potential to produce membrane reducing cosmic radiation

摘要

Bioleaching is a well-known process used in mining to solubilize and immobilize some heavy metals, such as copper. Biohydrometallurgical techniques are perspective and simple bioleaching methods that would allow to obtain highly concentrated heavy metals. Chondrite is a rock of meteoritic origin, rich in iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni). Nickel is a good absorber of X-ray radiation, and its effectiveness depends on the thickness of its layer. This potential can be considered for the shield design for human habitats on the planets other than Earth, which experience heavy space radiation. In the present study, the efficiency of nickel bioleaching from chondrite type H and L was compared for two fungi: Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC001) and Penicillium chrysogenum (FPCH002). The two species of fungi were grown in the chondrite contaminated medium in a laboratory-scale, temperature and additional carbon and nitrogen sources. The species potential for immobilization of the Ni ions from the cultivation media was evaluated. It was observed that the majority of heavy metals were transferred to and accumulated in the cellular structures, rather than released into the medium. The biomass was concentrated with centrifugation and its potential as the X-ray radiation absorber was examined. In the paper are present the findings on the S. cerevisiae and P. chrysogenum ability to concentrate nickel and other heavy metals from the chondrite, and the X-ray absorbance properties of their biomass grown on meteoritic soil.