PNNL

Abstract

The surface area normalized reduction rates of hematite (a-Fe2O3) nanoparticles, ranging in size from 11 to 99 nm, by S. oneidensis MR-1 with lactate as the sole electron donor were measured. The reduction kinetics of metal-oxide nanoparticles were examined to determine how S. oneidensis utilizes these environmentally-relevant solid-phase electron acceptors. Nanoparticles involved in geochemical reactions show different properties relative to larger particles of the same phase, and their reactivity is predicted to change as a function of size. As evident from whole cell TEM mounts, the mode of nanoparticle adhesion to cells is different between the more aggregated, pseudo-hexagonal to irregular shaped 11, 12, and 99 nm nanoparticles and the less aggregated 30 and 43 nm rhombohedral particles. Due to the aggregation differences, the 11, 12 and 99 nm particles show less cell contact and coverage than the 30 and 43 nm particles, but the former still show significant rates of reduction. This leads to the provisional speculation that S. oneidensis MR-1 employs a pathway of indirect electron transfer in conjunction with the direct-contact pathway, and the relative importance of the bioreduction mechanism employed may depend upon aggregation level, shape of the particles, and/or crystal faces exposed. In accord with the proposed increase in electronic band-gap for hematite nanoparticles with reduction in size, the smallest particles (11 nm) exhibit a one order of magnitude decrease in reduction rate (surface area normalized) when compared with larger (99 nm) nanoparticles, and the 12 nm rate falls in between these two. This effect may also be due to the passivation of the mineral and cell surfaces by Fe(II), or decreasing solubility due to decrease in size.