RECOVERY OF GOLD FROM THIOUREA SOLUTIONS USING MICROORGANISMS

The recovery of gold from gold-thiourea solutions using various types of waste biomass was investigated. namely, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, S pirulina platensis Streptomyces erythraeus All organisms tested, and r emoved gold rapidly from gold-thiourea solutions. The process of gold accumulation was pH-dependent for Saccharomyces ceresvisiae and Strept omyces erythraeus and independent of pH in the case of Spirulina plate nsis. Of all strains of microorganisms examined, Spirulina platensis h ad the highest affinity and capacity for gold even at low pH values. T hus, all three microorganisms tested for their ability to recover gold from gold-thiourea solutions can therefore be used in biotechnologica l applications, especially Spirulina platensis which has the highest b inding capacity for gold at low pH values.