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Intracellular synthesis of gold nanoparticles by a novel alkalotolerant actinomycete, Rhodococcus species

Absar Ahmad1,5, Satyajyoti Senapati2, M Islam Khan1, Rajiv Kumar2, R Ramani3, V Srinivas3 and Murali Sastry4,5

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The development of reliable, eco-friendly processes for the synthesis of nanoscale materials is an important aspect of nanotechnology. In this paper, we report on the use of an alkalotolerant actinomycete (Rhodococcus sp.) in the intracellular synthesis of gold nanoparticles of the dimension 5–15 nm. Electron microscopy analysis of thin sections of the gold actinomycete cells indicated that gold particles with good monodispersity were formed on the cell wall as well as on the cytospasmic membrane. The particles are more concentrated on the cytoplasmic membrane than on the cell wall, possibly due to reduction of the metal ions by enzymes present in the cell wall and on the cytoplasmic membrane. The metal ions were not toxic to the cells and the cells continued to multiply after biosynthesis of the gold nanoparticles.


PACS

87.16.-b Subcellular structure and processes

87.85.Qr Nanotechnologies-design

81.16.Fg Supramolecular and biochemical assembly

81.07.Bc Nanocrystalline materials

87.16.D- Membranes, bilayers, and vesicles

81.16.Be Chemical synthesis methods

Subjects

Biological physics

Nanoscale science and low-D systems

Dates

Issue 7 (July 2003)

Received 22 April 2003

Published 6 June 2003



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