466: Microbes Mining Mars Minerals

This episode: Bacteria are able to extract metals from rocks for
industrial use, even in microgravity!


Download Episode (6.2 MB, 9.0 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Decapod ambidensovirus 1


 


News item

 



Takeaways




As humanity makes progress toward becoming an
interplanetary species, consideration is needed on how
travelers can survive and thrive in distant places. These
methods may look very different from what works well on
Earth, with differences in gravity, atmosphere, and
access to resources. For example, mining for materials
for construction may not be feasible using methods common
on Earth. An alternative may be biomining, using microbes
that can selectively extract and purify specific metals
from minerals.


 


In this study, the European Space Agency tested the
ability of several microbes to extract vanadium from
rocks in different gravity conditions, on the
International Space Station. Two out of three microbes
were able to extract twice as much vanadium as was
extracted in the absence of microbes, both on a planet
and up in space.



 
Journal Paper:
Cockell CS, Santomartino R, Finster K, Waajen AC, Nicholson
N, Loudon C-M, Eades LJ, Moeller R, Rettberg P, Fuchs FM, Van
Houdt R, Leys N, Coninx I, Hatton J, Parmitano L, Krause J,
Koehler A, Caplin N, Zuijderduijn L, Mariani A, Pellari S,
Carubia F, Luciani G, Balsamo M, Zolesi V, Ochoa J, Sen P,
Watt JAJ, Doswald-Winkler J, Herová M, Rattenbacher B,
Wadsworth J, Everroad RC, Demets R. 2021.
Microbially-Enhanced Vanadium Mining and Bioremediation Under
Micro- and Mars Gravity on the International Space Station.
Front Microbiol 12:663.




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A prokaryote with internal metabolic compartments (paper)




 


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