Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Diatom Frustules: Physical, Optical, and Biotechnological Applications

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Diatom World

Part of the book series: Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology ((COLE,volume 19))

Abstract

Diatoms are unicellular photosynthetic eurkaryotes within the class Bacillariophyceae whose peculiarity amongst other microalgae is a siliceous cell wall (Round et al., 1990). Traditionally, diatoms have been subdivided into two major groups based upon their symmetry: the centrales have radial symmetry, whilst the pennales have bilateral symmetry. Diatoms are found in both freshwater and marine environments, as well as in soil, and on moist surfaces. Individual diatoms vary in size from 2 nm up to several mm in size, although only a few species are larger than 200 mm.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 259.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Almqvist, N., Delamo, Y., Smith, B.L., Thomson, N.H., Bartholdson, A., Lal, R., Brzezinski, M. and Hansma, P.K. (2001) Micromechanical and structural properties of a pennate diatom investigated by atomic force microscopy. J. Microsc. 202: 518–532.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Andsager, D., Hilliard, J., Hetrick, J.M., Abuhassan, L.H., Plisch, M. and Nayfeh, M.H. (1993) Quenching of porous silicon photoluminescence by deposition of metal adsorbates. J. Appl. Phys. 74: 4783–4785.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Asada, R., Okuno, M. and Tazaki, K. (2002) Structural anistropy of biogenic silica in pennate diatoms under Fourier transform polarized infrared microspectroscopy. J. Mineral. Petrol. Sci. 97: 219–226.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bao, Z., Weatherspoon, M.R., Shian, S., Cai, Y., Graham, P.D., Allan, S.M., Ahmad, G., Dickerson, M.B., Church, B.C., Kang, Z., Abernathy, H.W., Summers, C.J., Liu, M. and Sandhage, K.H. (2007) Chemical reduction of three dimensional silica microassemblies into microporous silicon replicas. Nature 446: 172–175.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brinker, C.J. and Schere, G.W. (1990) Sol-Gel Science. Academic Press, Boston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butcher, K.S.A., Ferris, J.M. and Phillips, M.R. (2003) Photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence studies of diatoms – nature’s own nano-porous silica structures. 27th Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, 4th–7th February 2003, In: D. Paganin, A. Smith and G. Troup (eds.) Proceedings of the 27th Annual A&ZNIP Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, Australian and New Zealand Institute of Physics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butcher, K.S.A., Ferris, J.M., Phillips, M.R., Wintrebert-Fouquet, M., Jong Wah, J.W., Jovanovic, N., Vyverman, W. and Chepurnov, V.A. (2005) A luminescence study of porous diatoms. Mat. Sci. Eng. C25: 658–663.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cai, Y. and Sandhage, K.H. (2005) Zn2SiO4-coated microparticles with biologically controlled 3D shapes. Phys.Status Solidi A 202: R105.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cha, J.N., Stucky, G.D., Morse, D.E. and Deming, T.J. (2000) Biomimetic synthesis of ordered silica structures mediated by block copolypeptides. Nature 403: 289–292.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Connor, M., Bidaux, J.E. and Manson, J.A.E. (1997) A criterion for optimum adhesion applied to fibre reinforced composites. J. Mater. Sci. 32: 5059–5067.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crawford, S.A., Higgins, M.J., Mulvaney, P. and Wetherbee, R. (2001) Nanostructure of the diatom frustule as revealed by atomic force and scanning electron microscopy. J. Phycol. 37: 543–554.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cullis, A.G., Canham, L.T. and Calcott, P.D.J. (1997) The structural and luminescence properties of porous silicon. J. Appl. Phys. 82: 909–965.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Stefano, L., Rendina, I., de Stefano, M., Bismuto, A. and Maddalena, P. (2005) Marine diatoms as optical sensors. Appl. Phys. Lett. 87: 233902.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Stefano, L., Lamberti, A., Rotiroti, L. and De Stefano, M. (2008) Interfacing the nanostructured biosilica microshells of the marine diatom Coscinodiscus wailesii with biological matter. Acta Biomater. 4: 126–130.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Stefano, L., Maddelena, P., Moretti, L., Rea, I., Rendina, I., De Tommasi, E., Mocella, V. and De Stefano, M. (2009) Nano-biosilica from marine diatoms: a brand new material for photonic applications. Superlattices Microstruct. 46: 84–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Del Amo, Y. and Brzezinski, M.A. (1999) The chemical form of dissolved Si taken up by marine diatoms. J. Phycol. 35: 1162–1170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drum, R.W. and Gordon, R. (2003) Star trek replicators and diatom nanotechnology. Trends Biotechnol. 21: 325–328.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dutton, H.J., Manning, W.M. and Duggar, B.M. (1943) Chlorophyll fluorescence and energy transfer in the diatom Nitxschia closterium. J. Phys. Chem. 47: 308.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fritsch, F.E. (1975) The Structure and Reproduction of Algae, vol. 1. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuhrmann, T., Landwehr, S., El Rharbi-Kucki, M. and Sumper, M. (2004) Diatoms as living photonic crystals. Appl. Phys. B 78: 257.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Furukawa, T., Watanabe, M. and Shihira-Ishikawa, I. (1998) Green- and blue-light-mediated chloroplast migration in the centric diatom Pleurosira laevis. Protoplasma 203: 214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gale, D.K., Gutu, T., Jiao, J., Chang, C.-H. and Rorrer, G.L. (2009) Photoluminescence detection of biomolecules by antibody-functionalized diatom biosilica. Adv. Funct. Mater. 19: 926–933.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gebeshuber, I.C., Kind, J.H., Thompson, J.B., Del Amo, Y., Stachelberger, H., Brzezinski, M.A., Stucky, G.D., Morse, D.E. and Hansma, P.K. (2003) Atomic force microscopy study of living diatoms in ambient conditions . J. Microsc. 212: 292–299.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Glinka, Y.D., Zyubin, A.S., Mebel, A.M., Lin, S.H., Hwang, L.P. and Chen, Y.T. (2002) Photoluminescence from mesoporous silica akin to that from nanoscale silicon: the nature of light-emitters. Chem. Phys. Lett. 358: 180–186.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gombert, A., Rose, K., Heinzl, W., Zanke, C., Blaesi, B. and Wittwer, V. (1998) Antireflective ­submicrometer surface-relief gratings for solar applications. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 54: 333.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gomez-Romero, P. and Sanchez, C. (2003) Functional Hybrid Materials. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, p. 417.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, J.M. and Polle, J.E. (2007) Ultrahigh bioproductivity from algae. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 76: 969–975.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, R., Losic, D., Tiffany, M.A., Nagy, S.S. and Sterrenburg, F.A.S. (2008) The glass menagerie: diatoms for novel applications in nanotechnology. Trends Biotechnol. 27: 116–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutu, T., Gale, D.K., Jeffryes, C., Wang, W., Chang, C.-H., Rorrer, G.L. and Jiao, J. (2009) Electron microscopy and optical characterization of cadmium sulphide nanocrystals deposited on the patterned surface of diatom biosilica. J. Nanomat. Article ID 860536. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnm/2009/860536/

  • Hamm, C.E. (2005) The evolution of advanced mechanical defenses and potential technological applications of diatom shells. J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 5: 108.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamm, C.E., Merkel, R., Springer, O., Jurkojc, P., Maier, C., Prechtel, K. and Smetacek, V. (2003) Architecture and material properties of diatom shells provide effective mechanical protection. Nature (London) 42: 841–843.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He, H., Wang, Y. and Zou, Y. (2003) Photoluminescence property of ZnO-SiO2 composites synthesized by sol-gel method. J. Phys. D 36: 2972.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hecky, R.E., Mopper, K., Kilham, P. and Degens, E.T. (1973) The amino acid and sugar composition of diatom cell walls. Mar. Biol. 19: 323–331.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hildebrand, M., Volcani, B.E., Gassmann, W. and Schroeder, J.I. (1997) A gene family of silicon transporters. Nature 385: 688–689.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hildebrand, M., Dahlin, K. and Volcani, B.E. (1998) Characterization of a silicon transporter gene family in Cylindrotheca fusiformis: sequences, expression analysis, and identification of homologs in other diatoms. Mol. Gen. Genet. 260: 480–486.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Iler, R.K. (1979) The Chemistry of Silica: Solubility, Polymerization, Colloid and Surface Properties, and Biochemistry. Wiley-Interscience, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeffryes, C., Solanki, R., Rangineni, Y., Wang, W., Chang, C.-H. and Rorrer, G.L. (2008) Electroluminescence and photoluminescence from nanostructured diatom frustules containing metabolically inserted germanium. Adv. Mater. 20: 2633–2637.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joannopoulos, J.D., Villeneuve, P.R. and Fan, S. (1997) Photonic crystals: putting a new twist on light. Nature 386: 143.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kamantani, A. and Riley, J.P. (1979) The rate of dissolution of diatom silica in seawater. Mar. Biol. 55: 29–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kong, D.Y., Yu, M., Lin, C.K., Liu, M., Lin, J. and Fang, J. (2005) Sol-gel synthesis and characterization of Zn2SiO4:Mn–SiO2 spherical core-shell particles. J.Electrochem. Soc. 152: H146.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kroger, N., Deutzmann, R. and Sumper, M. (1999) Polycationic peptides from diatom biosilica that direct silica nanosphere formation. Science 286: 1129–1132.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kucki, M., Landwehr, S., Ruhling, H., Maniak, M. and Fuhrmann-Lieker, T. (2006) Light-emitting biological photonic crystals: the bioengineering of metamaterials. SPIE Proc. 6182, 61821S.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, D.H., Gutu, T., Jeffryes, C., Rorrer, G.L., Jiao, J. and Chang, C. (2007a) Nanofabrication of green luminescent Zn2SiO4: Mn using biogenic silica. Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters, 10: K13–K16.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S.-J., Huang, C.-H., Shian, S. and Sandhage, K.H. (2007b) Rapid hydrolysis of organophosphorous esters induced by nanostructured, fluorine-doped titania replicas of diatom frustules. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 90: 1632–1636.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lopez, P.J., Descles, J., Allen, A.E. and Bowler, C. (2005a) Prospects in diatom research. Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 16: 180–186.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lopez, P.J., Gautier, C., Livage, J. and Coradin, T. (2005b) Mimicking biogenic silica nanostructures formation. Curr. Nanosci. 1: 73–83.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Losic, D., Mitchell, J.G. and Voelcker, N.H. (2009) Diatomaceous lessons in nanotechnology and advanced materials. Adv. Mater. 21: 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mekis, A., Meier, M., Dodabalapur, A., Slusher, R.E. and Joannopoulos, J.D. (1999) Lasing mechanism in two-dimensional crystal lasers. Appl. Phys. A 69: 111.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miron, A.S., Gomez, A.C., Camacho, F.G., Grima, E.M. and Chisti, Y. (1999) Comparative evaluation of compact photobioreactors for large-scale monoculture of microalgae. J. Biotechnol. 70: 249–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nashat, A., Moronne, M. and Ferrari, M. (1998) Detection of functional groups and antibodies on microfabricated surfaces by confocal microscopy. Biotech. Bioeng. 60: 137–146.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Norton, T.A., Melkonian, M. and Andersen, R.A. (1996) Algal biodiversity. Phycologia 35: 308–326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Notomi, M., Suzuki, H. and Tamamura, T. (2001) Directional lasing oscillation of two-dimensional organic photonic crystal lasers at several photonic band gaps. Appl. Phys. Lett. 78: 1325.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noyes, J., Sumper, M. and Vukusic, P. (2008) Light manipulation in a marine diatom. J. Mater. Res. 23: 3229–3235.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, A. and Townley, H.E. (2007) Biomimetics of photonic nanostructures. Nat. Nanotech. 2: 347–353.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rack, P.D., Naman, A., Holloway, S., Sun, S. and Tuenge, R.T. (1996). Materials used in Electroluminescent displays. MRS Bull. 21: 49–58.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Riechel, S., Kallinger, C., Lemmer, U., Feldmann, J., Gombert, A., Wittwer, V. and Scherf, U. (2000) A nearly diffraction limited surface emitting conjugated polymer laser utilizing a two-dimensional photonic band structure. Appl. Phys. Lett. 77: 2310.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rorrer, G.L. (2004) Biosynthesis of silicon-germanium oxide nanocomposites by the marine diatoms Nitzschia frustulum. J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 5: 41–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosi, N.L., Shad Thaxton, C. and Mirkin, C.A. (2004) Control of nanoparticle assembly by using DNA-modified diatom templates. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 43: 5500.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Round, F.E., Crawford, R.M. and Mann, D.G. (1990) The Diatoms: Biology and Morphology of the Genera. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 747 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sandhage, K.H. et al. (2002) Novel, bioclastic route to self-assembled, 3D, chemically tailored meso/nanostructures: shape preserving reactive conversion to biosilica (diatom) microshells. Adv. Mater. 14: 429–433.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Setaro, A., Lettierei, S., Maddelena, P. and de Stefano, L. (2007) Highly sensitive optochemical gas detection by luminescent marine diatoms. Appl. Phys. Lett. 91: 051921.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson , T.L. and Volcani, B.E. (eds.) (1981) Silicon and Siliceous Structures in Biological Systems. Springer-Verlag, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stober, W., Fink, A. and Bohn, E. (1968) Controlled growth of monodisperse silica spheres in the micron size range. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 26: 62–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sumper, M. and Brunner, E. (2006) Learning from diatoms: Nature’s tools for the production of nanostructured silica. Adv. Funct. Mat. 16: 17–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Townley, H.E., Woon, K.L., Payne, F.P., White-Cooper, H. and Parker, A.R. (2007) Modification of the physical and optical properties of the frustule of the diatom Coscinodiscus wailesii by nickel sulphate. Nanotechnology 18: 295101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Townley, H.E., Parker, A.R. and White-Cooper, H. (2008) Exploitation of diatom frustules for nanotechnology: tethering active biomolecules. Adv. Funct. Mat. 18: 369–374.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Hoek, C., Mann, D.G. and Johns, H.M. (1997) Algae: An Introduction to Phycology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vrieling, E.G., Beelen, T.P.M., van Santen, R.A. and Gieskes, W.W.C. (1999a) Diatom silicon biominetalization as an inspirational source of new approaches to silica production. J. Biotechnol. 70: 39–51.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vrieling, E.G., Gieskes, W.W.C. and Beelen, T.P.M. (1999b) Silicon deposition in diatoms: control by the pH inside the silicon deposition vesicle. J. Phycol. 35: 548–559.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weatherspoon, M.R., Haluska, M.S., Cai, Y., Summer, J.S., Christopher, J., Snyder, R.L. and Sandhage, K.H. (2006) Phosphor microparticles of controlled three-dimensional shape from phytoplankton. J. Electrochem. Soc. 153: H34–H37.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weder, C., Sarwa, C., Montali, C., Bastiaansen, C. and Smith, P. (1998) Incorporation of photoluminescent polarizers into liquid crystal displays. Science 279: 835–837.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamanaka, S., Yano, R., Usami, H., Hayashida, N., Ohguchi, M., Takeda, H. and Yoshino, K. (2008) Optical properties of diatom silica with special reference to blue light. J. Appl. Phys. 103: 074701.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ziemelis, K. (1999) Display technology – glowing developments. Nature 399: 408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering Science, Oxford University, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK

    Helen E. Townley

Authors
  1. Helen E. Townley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helen E. Townley .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Jerusalem, The Hebrew University Of, P.O.Box 1132, Efrat, 90435, Israel

    Joseph Seckbach

  2. , Dept. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Museum of Natural, Henderson Bldg., 15th & Broadway, Boulder, 80309, Colorado, USA

    Patrick Kociolek

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Townley, H.E. (2011). Diatom Frustules: Physical, Optical, and Biotechnological Applications. In: Seckbach, J., Kociolek, P. (eds) The Diatom World. Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology, vol 19. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1327-7_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation