WHERE:  Advanced Light Source  BL 7.0  Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscope (STXM)
 
WHEN:   April 2001, June 2001                        POSTED:  05 Mar 2002
 
WHAT:  Environmental chemists are researching biofilms (symbiotic baceterial-algae colonies) as a means of environmental remediation. These systems can have a high affinity for pollutants such as metal ions and toxic organic compounds. The figure shows the mapping of Ni ions at high ppm levels relative to the cells and biopolymers excreted by the bacteria and algae. In this case high ppm levels of Ni result from 24 hours of segregation by the biofilm from a 1 ppm Ni environment. Our results are correlated with other technicuqes such as analytical electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. By mapping the remediated components relative to the structure of the biofilm under realistic (aqueous, living) conditions, STXM is helping chemists optimize these systems for potential environmental remediation applications.

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WANT FURTHER INFORMATION ? : CONTACT Adam Hitchcock  

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