Chemical interactions during sorption of metals by microorganism cells

The role of chemical processes in the extraction from solution and binding of Au(III), Ag(I), and Cu(II) by microalgae cells of Chlorella ulgaris st.18 was studied. The sorptive ability of cells increases in the series Ag + < Cu 2+ « Au 3+ , whereas the bactericidal action on cells is inverse: Au 3+ « Cu 2+ < Ag + . The possibility was demonstrated to convert the sorbed metals into a colloid state, fixing the formed colloid particles on various intracellular organelles and on cell surface. The metals are chemically bound to cells forming bonds of the type Me-N; Me-C; Me-O; Me-S.