Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

, Volume 45, Issue 1–2, pp 278–285 | Cite as

A method to increase silver biosorption by an industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

  • P. Simmons
  • I. Singleton
Original Paper Environmental Biotechnology

Abstract

Ag+ biosorption by an industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Older (96 h old) biomass had half the biosorption capacity of younger (24 h old) biomass (0.187 and 0.387 mmol Ag+/g dry mass respectively). Comparisons of cell walls isolated from biomass of either age indicated that chemical composition and Ag+ biosorption capacity varied little over the time span examined and that cell walls from either age of culture had small Ag+ biosorption capacities compared to whole cells of a similar age. Silver-containing precipitates were observed both on the cell wall and within the cell, indicating that intracellular components sorbed Ag+. The concentration of these precipitates within the cell appeared visually to decrease with age in Ag+-exposed cells. Incorporation of l-cysteine into the growth medium resulted in biomass with increased silver biosorption capacities, protein and sulphydryl group content. Increasing the concentration of l-cysteine in the growth medium from 0 to 5.0 mM increased silver biosorption from 0.389 to 0.556 mmol Ag+/g dry mass Isolated cell walls of biomass grown in supplemented media also showed a possible link between silver biosorption capacities, protein and sulphydryl group content. No precipitates were observed in silver-exposed biomass that had been grown in the presence of 5.0 mM l-cysteine.

Keywords

Biomass Cell Wall Biosorption Biosorption Capacity Cell Wall Composition 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1996

Authors and Affiliations

  • P. Simmons
    • 1
  • I. Singleton
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Industrial MicrobiologyUniversity College DublinBelfieldIreland

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