Metabolically Doping of 3D Diatomaceous Biosilica with Titanium

Abstract

Diatoms represent, in terms of species number, one of the largest groups of microalgae that have the ability to synthesize phenomenal mineral composites characterized by complex hierarchical structures. Their shells, called frustules, create intricately ornamented structures, reminiscent of the most sophisticated, natural mosaics. Ordinated pore systems perforate siliceous walls of the frustules with diameters ranging from nano to micro-scale, forming openwork three-dimensional silica structures. The use of these features is one of the main challenges in developing new technological solutions. In this study we assess the ability of selected diatom species (Pseudostaurosira trainorii) for metabolic insertion of soluble titanium from the culture medium into the structure of amorphous silica cell walls by its cultivation in laboratory conditions. The study is aimed at obtaining new and strengthening the already existing optical properties of diatomaceous biosilica. The physicochemical properties of the obtained materials have been studied using a series of instrumental methods.

Diatom Biosilica Functionalised with Metabolically Deposited Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles

“…These studies were carried out in three experimental series (Figure 1A-C). McFarland measurements were used to standardise cerium-doped biomass using the appropriate conversion factor determined in earlier works [15,16]. The process' yield of 0.39 mg/L of undoped diatom cells (green line) served as a reference to determine the effect of individual factors on the amount of biomass harvested.…”