Loading ...A unique bacteria that produces gold as a byproduct of ingesting toxic metals may be key to the future refinement of the precious mineral, according to new research.
The study published in the journal Mettalomics claims to solve the mystery of how the metal-gobbling bacterium, Cupriavidus metallidurans, can consume copper and gold without poisoning itself.
Previous research established that the rod-shaped bacteria ingested toxic gold compounds, converted them into the element’s metallic form and then pooped out gold nuggets. What baffled scientists was how it did this without causing any harm to the organism itself.
cont. https://www.rt.com/news/418058-gold-pooping-bacteria-secrets/