How 'Iron Man' bacteria could help protect the environment
How 'Iron Man' bacteria could help protect the environment Research opens the door to applications in recycling and remediation This Geobacter cell is speckled with cobalt minerals that would be toxic to many organisms. February 3, 2021 Researchers at Michigan State University have shown that microbes are capable of a feat that could help reclaim a valuable natural resource and soak up toxic pollutants. The U.S. National Science Foundation-funded team published its discovery in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology. Geobiologist Gemma Reguera works with bacteria known as Geobacter, found in soil and sediment. She investigated what happens to the bacteria when they encounter cobalt. Cobalt is a valuable but increasingly scarce metal used in batteries for electric vehicles and alloys for spacecraft. It's also toxic to living things, including humans and bacteria. "It kills a lot of microbes," Reguera said. "Cobalt penetrates their cells and wreaks h...