Author Topic: Bacteria that poops gold (Read 3398 times)

AZRedhawk44 · « **on:** October 05, 2012, 11:30:59 AM »

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/a-bacteria-that-poops-gold-yep-that-exists-and-its-in-an-art-exhibit-video/2012/10/04/1617f178-0e5d-11e2-bd1a-b868e65d57eb_blog.html

I got all excited for a moment, then I read this:

Quote

This microbial magician, named Cupriavidus metallidurans, when placed in a minilab full of gold chloride, a nasty toxin, gobbled up the poison and, in about a week, processed it out as 24-karat nuggets of the precious yellow metal.

Auric chloride runs about $30 a gram. 31 grams in a troy ounce, you pay $930 for AuCl₃. Au is 1/4 of the atoms in the molecule, though heavier than Chlorine... not sure how that plays out in the whole mass ratio. Atomic mass = 197 for gold, 35.4 for chlorine... about 106 for 3 chlorine atoms total per molecule. So $930 worth of AuCl3 will yield about 0.65 ounces of gold. 0.65 * 1784 (gold spot right now) comes out to 1159.89 (assuming 100% efficiency), leaving operating costs of $220 to find a way to isolate the gold from the chlorine and not die from the gas.

Meh.

I was hoping for some sort of atomic surgery rather than molecular chemistry. Though I guess that's not likely to happen unless we find nuclear radioactive bacteria, in which case all bets are off.

TommyGunn · « **Reply #1 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:39:56 AM »

Lousy profit margin + risk of death = don't quit your day job, eh?

AJ Dual · « **Reply #2 on:** October 05, 2012, 01:29:32 PM »

Quote from: AZRedhawk44 on October 05, 2012, 11:30:59 AM

I was hoping for some sort of atomic surgery rather than molecular chemistry. Though I guess that's not likely to happen unless we find nuclear radioactive bacteria, in which case all bets are off.

Well, not exactly radioactive itself but...

Deinococcus radiodurans

kgbsquirrel · « **Reply #3 on:** October 05, 2012, 04:42:43 PM »

Quote from: AJ Dual on October 05, 2012, 01:29:32 PM

Well, not exactly radioactive itself but...

Deinococcus radiodurans

Thermococcus Gammatolerans laughs at things like Chernobyl.

Human L50: 4.5 grays
German Cockroach L50: 64 grays
T. Gamma. L50: 30,000 grays

Cockroaches don't have nothin' on that little bugger.

Jocassee · « **Reply #4 on:** October 05, 2012, 05:29:49 PM »

Three words, economy of scale...you run enough bacteria and you could probably make a profit.

Fly320s · « **Reply #5 on:** October 05, 2012, 05:42:35 PM »

Time to start a free-range, organic, bacteria gold ranch.

birdman · « **Reply #6 on:** October 05, 2012, 06:27:51 PM »

I guarantee that auric chloride price is old. Otherwise, one could simply buy it and chemically process to get the gold at an easy profit.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:36:32 PM »

Do they have any bacteria that eat rust and poop out Moisin-Nagants?

Cause I understand from the grapevine that they're pretty valuable, especially in SHTF/TEOTWAWKI situations.

Scout26 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 06, 2012, 02:08:39 PM »

Gold Choride, min order 20 metric tons. Ability to provide 200,000 Metric tons per year.

I bet there's a quantity discount.

Can I buy the bacteria like I can buy yeast?

kgbsquirrel · « **Reply #9 on:** October 06, 2012, 03:01:32 PM »

What sort of bio-reactor will you need to assemble in order to provide the bacteria with a suitable host environment? I expect that will add a significant cost to the whole mess.

MillCreek · « **Reply #10 on:** October 06, 2012, 04:49:43 PM »

Quote from: kgbsquirrel on October 06, 2012, 03:01:32 PM

What sort of bio-reactor will you need to assemble in order to provide the bacteria with a suitable host environment? I expect that will add a significant cost to the whole mess.

You know who we need to talk to? Dr. Ken Alibek, who used to run the Soviet Biowar program. In his books, he talks about the bio-reactors of several thousand liter capacities when they were making anthrax and smallpox. I am sure this project would be a piece of cake for someone like him, especially if you can get the bio-reactors and associated piping and fittings for cheap.

kgbsquirrel · « **Reply #11 on:** October 06, 2012, 05:00:37 PM »

Quote from: MillCreek on October 06, 2012, 04:49:43 PM

You know who we need to talk to? Dr. Ken Alibek, who used to run the Soviet Biowar program. In his books, he talks about the bio-reactors of several thousand liter capacities when they were making anthrax and smallpox. I am sure this project would be a piece of cake for someone like him, especially if you can get the bio-reactors and associated piping and fittings for cheap.

"I make you great deal, only slight contamination..."

geronimotwo · « **Reply #12 on:** October 06, 2012, 06:58:18 PM »

the bizaeere part is that we only hear about this process when it becomes an art display. as if the science in itself was not newsworthy? these super microbes are amazing. a friend of mine had been working with a company devoloping diesel pooping microbes. i wonder if exon bought them out?

Waitone · « **Reply #13 on:** October 06, 2012, 07:10:06 PM »

Somewhere in the story is a politician joke.

kgbsquirrel · « **Reply #14 on:** October 07, 2012, 12:55:12 AM »

Quote from: Waitone on October 06, 2012, 07:10:06 PM

Somewhere in the story is a politician joke.

Except the bacteria would eat the gold and poop lead.

Scout26 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 07, 2012, 12:47:40 PM »

Quote from: kgbsquirrel on October 07, 2012, 12:55:12 AM

Except the bacteria would eat the gold and poop lead.

Lead is valuable, they would poop toxic poop.

Scout26 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 07, 2012, 12:48:37 PM »

Quote from: MillCreek on October 06, 2012, 04:49:43 PM

You know who we need to talk to? Dr. Ken Alibek, who used to run the Soviet Biowar program. In his books, he talks about the bio-reactors of several thousand liter capacities when they were making anthrax and smallpox. I am sure this project would be a piece of cake for someone like him, especially if you can get the bio-reactors and associated piping and fittings for cheap.

You mean I can't just use my breadmaker?

kgbsquirrel · « **Reply #17 on:** October 07, 2012, 12:48:53 PM »

Quote from: scout26 on October 07, 2012, 12:47:40 PM

Lead is valuable, they would poop toxic poop.

Dimethyl mercury?

Fly320s · « **Reply #18 on:** October 07, 2012, 02:22:35 PM »

Quote from: scout26 on October 07, 2012, 12:47:40 PM

Lead is valuable, they would poop toxic poop.

Liberals?

birdman · « **Reply #19 on:** October 07, 2012, 05:12:02 PM »

Quote from: scout26 on October 06, 2012, 02:08:39 PM

Gold Choride, min order 20 metric tons. Ability to provide 200,000 Metric tons per year.

I bet there's a quantity discount.

Can I buy the bacteria like I can buy yeast?

200,000 metric tons per year of gold chloride? That's impressive, as one year would take MORE GOLD THAN HAS EVER BEEN MINED IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD

Scout26 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 07, 2012, 05:43:49 PM »

Quote from: birdman on October 07, 2012, 05:12:02 PM

200,000 metric tons per year of gold chloride? That's impressive, as one year would take MORE GOLD THAN HAS EVER BEEN MINED IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/420973378/higu_purity_gold_chloride.html

Correction, it now says 420,000 per year.

And they take Western Union.

All I need to do is get those rich Nigerians that want to send me money to fund this project....

Scout26 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 08, 2012, 02:54:20 PM »

Per Wikipedia:

Quote

Gold(I) chloride may irritate the skin and eyes, damage kidney function, and reduce white blood cell counts.

If anybody wants to do this, I'm your man !!!!

kgbsquirrel · « **Reply #22 on:** October 08, 2012, 03:06:02 PM »

Okay, on a more serious note, if you really wanted to get gold from chloroauric acid, sodium metabisulfite is a better idea than some exotic bacteria.

http://youtu.be/AHsPkoO4wKw

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Author Topic: Bacteria that poops gold (Read 3398 times)