Skip to main content
Log in

Recovery of gold from thiourea solutions using microorganisms

  • Published:
Biometals Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The recovery of gold from gold-thiourea solutions using various types of waste biomass was investigated. All organisms tested, namely, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Spirulina platensis and Streptomyces erythraeus removed gold rapidly from gold–thiourea solutions. The process of gold accumulation was pH-dependent for Saccharomyces ceresvisiae and Streptomyces erythraeus and independent of pH in the case of Spirulina platensis. Of all strains of microorganisms examined, Spirulina platensis had the highest affinity and capacity for gold even at low pH values. Thus, all three microorganisms tested for their ability to recover gold from gold–thiourea solutions can therefore be used in biotechnological applications, especially Spirulina platensis which has the highest binding capacity for gold at low pH values. © Rapid Science 1998

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

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beveridge TJ, Murray RGE. 1976 Uptake and retention of metals by cell walls of Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 127, 1502–1518.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beveridge TJ, Murray RGE. 1980 Sites of metal deposition in the cell wall of Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 141, 876–887.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brierley JA, Brierley CL, Goyak GM. 1985a AMT-BIOCLAIM': A New Wastewater Treatment and Metal Recovery Technology, presented at the International Symposium on Biohydrometallurgy, Vancouver.

  • Brierley JA, Brierley CL, Goyak GM. 1985b “AMT-BIOCLAIM”: Process for Treatment of Metalliferrous Wastewater from Electroplating and Other Industries, presented at the 2nd Annual BIOMINET meeting, Mississauga.

  • Brierley CL, Brierley JA, Ehrlich HL eds. 1989 Microbial Mineral Recovery. New York, NY: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darnall DW, Greene B, Henzl MT, et al. 1986 Selective recovery of gold and other metal ions from an algal biomass. Environ Sci Technol 20, 206–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darnall DW, Greene B, Gardea-Torresday J. 1988 Gold binding to algae. In: Norris PR, Kelly DP, eds. Biohydrometallurgy, Proceedings of the International Symposium. Warwick: Science & Technology Letters; 487–498.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gadd GM, White C. 1993 Microbial treatment of metal pollution – a working biotechnology? Trends Biotechnol 11, 353–359.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greene B, Hosea M, McPherson R, Henzl M, Alexander MD, Darnall DW. 1986 Interaction of gold(I) and gold (III) complexes with algal biomass. Environ Sci Technol 20, 627–632.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hiskey JB. 1984 Thiourea leaching of gold and silver-technology update and additional applications. Minerals Metall Process 11, 172–182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kai, T, Yamasaki K, Takahashi T. 1992 Application of iron oxidizing bacteria in thiourea leaching of gold bearing silicate ores. Biorecovery 2, 83–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuyucak N, Volesky B. 1988 Biosorbents for recovery of metals from industrial solutions. Biotechnol Lett 10, 137–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langmuir I. 1918 The adsorption of gases on plane surfaces of glass, mica and platinum. J Amer Chem Soc 40, 1361–1403.

    Google Scholar 

  • Savvaidis I, Karamushka VI, Lee H, Trevors JT. 1998 Microorganism-gold interactions. Biometals 11 , 69–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Volesky B. 1987 Biosorbents for metal recovery. Trends Biotechnol 5, 96–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watkins II JW, Elder RC, Greene B, Darnall DW. 1987 Determination of gold binding in an algal biomass using EXAFS and XANES spectroscopies. Inorg Chem 26, 1147–1151.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Savvaidis, I. Recovery of gold from thiourea solutions using microorganisms. Biometals 11, 145–151 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009234113485

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009234113485

Navigation