RARE EARTH ELEMENT ACCUMULATING MICROORGANISM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a new microorganism belonging to the genus Methylobacterium and capable of accumulating rare earth elements, especially ytterbium belonging to heavy rare earth elements. ;SOLUTION: This microorganism is capable of accumulating rare earth elements and belongs to the genus Methylobacterium, e.g. Methylobacterium fujisawaensis 3-1 strain (FERM P-15211). The microorganism can be produced by adding agar to a diluted broth medium having a nutrient content of 1/100, sterilizing under reduced pressure, culturing an aqueous specimen in the obtained agar medium for primary screening to obtain oligotrophic bacteria, culturing the bacteria in a liquid medium for secondary screening having an ytterbium(Yb) concentration of 5ppm and selecting a strain capable of decreasing the Yb concentration in the culture liquid. The cultivation of the microorganism is preferably carried out under aerobic condition at 25-40°C and pH6-8. It is preferable to add a rare earth element to the medium for accumulating rare earth elements in the microorganism in high efficiency.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1997,JPO