Metal -mining bacteria are green chemists

Researchers from the School of Bio-sciences at the University Bimingham have discovered the mechanisms that allow the common soil bacterium to recover the metal palladium from industrial waste sources. Microbes could soon be used to convert metallic wastes into high value catalysts. They're used for generating clean energy, say scientists writing in the September issue of Microbiolgy. Palluim is one of the platinum group metals, which are still among the most precoius resources on Earth. The bacterial cells coated with palladuim nanoparticles are known as "BioPd". The group believes that "BioPd" has great potentical to be used for generating clean energy.