Biological ore processing for the isolation of heavy metals

US11718892B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CvPlus GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Stephen Gos · Miltenberg, DE
• Andrea Christiansen · Rostock, DE
• Xin Lu · Palo Alto, US
• Guido Meurer · Seeheim-Jugenheim, DE
• Yvonne Tiffert · Mannheim, DE
• Esther Gabor · Zwingenberg, DE
• Benedikt Hoffmann · Aschaffenburg, DE
• Martin Langer · Karlsruhe, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 18, 2019
• Grant date: Aug 8, 2023
• Expiry date: Dec 31, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P10/20
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention provides an assay for identifying a bacterium capable of binding elemental heavy metal, comprising the following steps: cultivating a test bacterium in a suitable first culture medium; immersing at least a surface portion of a test tool into the first culture medium for a second predetermined period of time, said surface portion being coated by elemental heavy metal, respectively; removing said test tool from said first culture medium and optionally rinsing the test tool; contacting a second culture medium with the surface portion coated by elemental heavy metal of said test tool removed in the previous step; and identifying the test bacterium as being capable of binding elemental heavy metal from growth of the test bacterium in said second culture medium.