abstract
This work describes the synthesis of ZnS powders in high yield and via a straightforward process, under ambient conditions (temperature and pressure), by adding to aqueous zinc (II) a nutrient solution containing biologically generated sulfide from sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). The powders obtained as above were composed mainly of ZnS (sphalerite) nanoparticles (NP's) exhibiting a spheroidal morphology (20-30 nm). The NP's morphological properties and crystalline phase were not markedly altered by the SRB growth media composition neither by the presence of bacterial cells. The relevance of this method to obtain ZnS supported solid substrates has been demonstrated by performing the synthesis in the presence of TiO2 and SiO2 submicron particles. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
keywords
SULFATE-REDUCING BACTERIA; BIOGENIC SULFIDE; RAMAN-SPECTRA; WASTE-WATER; NANOPARTICLES; PRECIPITATION; ZINC; BIOREMEDIATION; SPHERES; GROWTH
subject category
Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering
authors
da Costa, JP; Girao, AV; Lourenco, JP; Monteiro, OC; Trindade, T; Costa, MC
our authors
Groups
G1 - Porous Materials and Nanosystems
G3 - Electrochemical Materials, Interfaces and Coatings
acknowledgements
Funding by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) through a PhD grant (SFRH/BD/43784/2008) is acknowledged. A. V. Girao also thanks FCT for the Post-Doc grant (SFRH/BPD/66407/2009).